BAHRAIN AND SUDAN CUT TIES WITH IRAN

Bahraini Information Minister Isa al-Hammadi. (Photo: Alwatannews.net file)

Manama, 25 Rabi’ul Awwal 1437/5 January 2016 (MINA) – Bahrain has cut diplomatic ties with Iran one day after Saudi Arabia likewise severed relations with the Islamic republic.

On Monday, Bahraini Information Minister Isa al-Hammadi announced that Bahrain’s Council of Ministers had decided to cut relations with Tehran, going on to demand the departure of all Iranian diplomats from the kingdom within 48 hours.

The move was announced at a press conference convened by al-Hammadi following a weekly council meeting. Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

One day earlier, Saudi Arabia officially announced it had cut ties with Iran after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and the Iranian city of Mashhad were both attacked by Iranian protesters.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir announced the move at a press conference in capital Riyadh, where he gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave Saudi Arabia.

Sudan on Monday cut its diplomatic relations with Iran and expelled the Iranian ambassador to protest Saturday’s attacks on Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic missions in Tehran and the Iranian city of Mashhad, according to a Sudanese official.

Ali Alsadig, a spokesman for Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, told Anadolu Agency that Khartoum had also decided to immediately recall its ambassador from Tehran.

Late Saturday, Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the Saudi consulate in Mashhad to protest the execution earlier the same day of prominent Shia cleric Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi authorities.

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Tahun lalu, Sudan tampaknya menjauh dari kerjasama lama dengan Iran untuk bergabung dengan kampanye militer Saudi yang dipimpin Syiah Houthi melawan kelompok militan Yaman, yang didukung oleh Teheran.

Uni Emirat Arab (UEA), sementara itu, sekutu dekat Arab Saudi, juga memutuskan untuk menurunkan hubungan diplomatik dengan Iran, namun belum pergi begitu jauh untuk secara resmi memutuskan hubungan. (T/P001/R07)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)