Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Minister of Interior Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa met on Sunday (August 23, 2015) with local media figures and others. During this gathering, the Interior Minister blamed the Bahraini crisis on the Iranian interference in the kingdom's internal affairs and even urged the the organizers of this event to shed light on the Shiites clerics attending the meeting.

During the meeting, the Interior Minister said: "Your condemnation of Iranian interference is similar to your honorable national stance in 1970 when Bahrainis voted for the sovereignty of Bahrain," claiming that "the Iranian interference is a sectarian approach." The minister also denied that "there are second-class citizens" in Bahrain and said that "the Shiites of Bahrain only feel like second-class when they are in Iran. Bahrain has crossed the swamp of sectarianism."

In response to previous statements by the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bahrain's Interior Minister said, "the Arabic saying: ‘The neighbor comes before the house' apparently doesn't apply to this situation, amid the Iranian interferences in our affairs."

The minister denied any approach against any sect and said: "We have no sectarian tension in Bahrain but rather foreign interference, militants training in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, and misleading media campaigns." "We adhere to the law in addressing all issues, especially the dangerous Iranian interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain," he stressed.

"We are continuing today the efforts that we have started to improve our security," he said, adding that "one of the matters that should be given utmost care by everyone, without exception, is to eliminate things that could encourage violence and hatred," and pointing that "there are many procedures adopted to boost security, such as, the security fence."

With regards to religious sermons, he stated: "I stress on the importance of distancing religious discourse from politics. It is important to work with those who deliver sermons to make them aware of their important role and to help them understand why they shouldn't be members of political societies."

The Minister unveiled the authorities' intention to "to put restrictions on travel to dangerous areas especially for those under 18 years of age."

"There is no hesitation in our decision-making. There is continuous and steady work being done to protect the general interests and stability of our country," he further stated.

Arabic Issue