Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain said that it handed in a letter of protest to the Iranian and Lebanese embassies in Manama over the statements of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah about Bahrain.

A statement issued by the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday (September 26, 2015) said that the Ministry summoned Charge d'affaires of Embassy of Iran, Mohammed Redha Baba'e, and presented him with a formal memorandum of protest, in view of the statements issued lately by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

On Wednesday (September 23, 2015), Khamenei addressed in his speech this year's pilgrims saying: "The painful events in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, the West Bank and Gaza as well as in other countries in Asia and Africa are tragedies for the Islamic nation that we must address," calling for "thinking about a way to address them," adding that the "peoples have to ask their governments to do so."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ambassador Abdullah Abdul Lateef Abdullah expressed "the Kingdom of Bahrain's strong condemnation and rejection of these statements, which are an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs and a violation of the principles of the United Nations as they adversely affect the security and stability of the region and the nature of relations between its countries."

The under secretary stressed on the need for full compliance with the principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom and the respect of its sovereignty and independence. He also emphasised the need to put an immediate end to such irresponsible statements and other forms of interference in Bahraini affairs, and instead pay attention to the Iranian people and work to improve their conditions rather than create unjustified problems with neighbouring countries.

In the same context, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry has summoned the charges d'affaires of Lebanon Ebrahim Elias Assaf and presented him an official memorandum of protest over statements of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah.

Under Secretary Abdullah Abdul Lateef Abdullah said that "the recent statements by Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of the terrorist Hezbollah were a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and a clear infringement on its sovereignty and independence. Nasrallah's statements also carry a flawed and biased description of the situation in Bahrain and aim to damage relations between brothers."

Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, said in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Manar TV channel on Friday (September 25, 2015) that "there was a bet on the Bahrainis' fatigue after the arrest of their figures, dismissing citizens from their jobs and preventing their sons from scholarships." At the same time, Nasrallah stressed that "the Bahrainis will proceed in their movement in compliance with the recommendations of their detained figures."

He added that "the suggested solution of the Saudi regime is that Bahrainis return to their homes," indicating that "the Bahraini regime will find itself obliged to find a solution and its bet on the people to back down is a loss."

"The oldest Prime Minister in the world is the Bahraini PM," Nasrallah further stressed. He also pointed out that Sheikh Ali Salman's trial is only formal, saying that Sheikh Salman's letters from prison are a continuation to this movement.

Arabic Issue