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 Bahrain |  Iran |
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Bilateral relations exist between the countries ofBahrain andIran. Since the 1979Iranian Revolution, relations between the two countries have been strained over various geopolitical issues such as the interpretations of Islam, Awakening of the Islamic world, and relations with the United States, Europe, and other Western countries. In addition, Iran has been severely critical of Bahrain for hosting theUnited States Fifth Fleet within thePersian Gulf at theNaval Support Activity Bahrain base.
After theSaudi diplomatic missions in Iran were ransacked by Iranian protesters following theexecution of Nimr al-Nimr, Bahrain followedSaudi Arabia's decision by severing diplomatic relations with Iran on 4 January 2016.[1] On 16 April 2019, a court in Bahrain sentenced 139 people to prison for forming terrorist groups backed by Iran. A total of 169 were arrested.[2]
Iran allegedly had a historic claim to Bahrain until March 1970 whenShah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi abandoned the claim.[3] Following this realignment of policy, the two countries signed a demarcation agreement in 1970.[4]
Following theIranian Revolution in whichAyatollah Khomeini came to power in Iran in 1979, Iran made clear its intention to export its Islamic revolution throughout theMuslim world, especially in theArab world.[5][6]
Two years later, BahrainiShia fundamentalists orchestrateda revolution attempt under the auspices of a front organization, theIslamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain. The revolution, which failed, would have installed a Shia cleric in Iran, Hujjat al-Islam Hādī al-Mudarrisī, as the Supreme Leader of Bahrain with a theocratic government.[7] The Bahraini government unofficially regarded the coup as Iran attempting to overthrow theirSunni government. Iran denied any involvement, saying they were inspired by the Iranian revolution but had received no support from Iran.[8] Fearful of a recurrence, Bahrain cracked down on its Shia population, putting thousands into jail and further souring relations with Iran.
The 1981 Bahraini coup attempt orchestrated by the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain (IFLB) was significantly influenced by transnational Shia networks established by Iranian clerics, including Grand AyatollahMohammad Taqi al-Modarresi.[9] Al-Modarresi, a prominent Shia marja', played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing Shia political activism across the Gulf region. Through his leadership, the Risali Movement aimed to empower Shia communities and challenge Sunni-dominated regimes, including Bahrain'sAl Khalifa family. The IFLB's attempt to overthrow the Bahraini monarchy and install an Islamic republic mirrored Iran's broader strategy to export its revolutionary ideals and assert influence in neighbouring Bahrain.[9] Although Iran officially denied direct involvement, the coup attempt highlighted the effectiveness of Iran's use of religious and political networks to advance its geopolitical objectives in the Persian Gulf.
In November 2007, PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran made his first official visit to Bahrain and met with KingHamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.[10] Ahmadinejad discussed future agreements to supply Bahrain with natural gas during his meeting with the king and Bahraini officials. Iran and Bahrain are beginning to enjoy closer relations again and have engaged in many joint economic ventures.
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In the aftermath of theMarch 2011 protests in Bahrain, Iran expressed strong support for the demonstrators, a sizeable minority of whom followShia Islam, which is Iran's state religion.[11][12] Relations between Tehran and Manama cooled considerably during the uprising, with both countries expelling one another's ambassadors.[13][14] Iran was joined byIraq in opposing theGulf Cooperation Council's military intervention in Bahrain.[15] Allies of the Bahraini government, such as Saudi Arabia and other GCC member states, have conversely blamed Iran for inciting upheaval in the small archipelago country and questioned the legitimacy of the protesters' demands,[16] echoing Manama's claims.[17]
On 12 August 2012,Foreign Minister of Bahrain Sheikh Khalid al-Khalifa announced from his Twitter account that Bahrain had reinstated its ambassador to Iran, nearly 18 months after relations between the two countries were strained following the 2011 Bahrain protests.[18][19]
On 19 July 2015, afterSupreme LeaderAli Khamenei voiced support for the oppressed people across the Middle East, including Bahrain, the Iranian actingchargé d'affaires Morteza Sanubari was summoned by the Foreign Minister of Bahrain over "flagrant interference". The foreign minister handed "an official protest memorandum" to the diplomat over "statements made by Ali Khamenei against the Kingdom of Bahrain".[20]
On 13 August 2015, theBahrain Interior Ministry announced arresting of five members of a terrorist group which was linked to at least one bombing attack inSitra[21] and was believed to accept aid and training from Lebanese militant groupHezbollah and Iran'sIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).[22]
On 1 October 2015 (a week after the2015 Mina stampede), the Bahraini government recalled its ambassador from Tehran and ordered the Iranian actingchargé d'affaires to leave the country within 3 days in response to "continuing interference by Iran in the affairs of the kingdom". This comes after Bahraini authorities inNuwaidrat (30 September) discovered a large bomb-making factory and seized a large stash of weapons and arrested a number of people suspected of having links with Iran's Revolutionary Guards.[23] Bahrain's decision to recall its ambassador comes "in light of continued Iranian meddling in the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain ... in order to create sectarian strife and to impose hegemony and control.[24][25] In response (on 2 October), the Iranian Foreign Ministry retaliated by releasing this statement: "The number two official in Bahrain's embassy in Tehran ispersona non grata and Mr. Bassam al-Dossari must leave Iran's territory within 72 hours," the officialIRNA news agency quoted a foreign ministry statement as saying late Friday.[26] Often, Bahrain alleges that Iran is responsible for the protests among its Shia population, according to Aljazeera.[27]
According to the Guardian, sometimes the Bahraini government tells visitors from the U.S confidentially, that Iran backs some Shi’a oppositionists.[28]
Following the2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, theForeign Minister of Bahrain "strongly condemned the two terrorist attacks on theEmbassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad in the Islamic Republic of Iran." In a statement, it said that "these demagogic and barbarian acts represent flagrant violation to the international convictions and norms, and theVienna Convention which all safeguard the security and protection to the diplomatic missions."[29]
On 4 January 2016, Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Iran, accusing it of interference in Saudi internal affairs after Saudi Arabia executed prominent Shia clericNimr al-Nimr for his involvement in2011–12 Saudi Arabian protests.[30] This was followed by the same decision of the Saudi government.[31]
On 9 January 2016, Bahrain's national airlineGulf Air announced that it would suspend flights betweenBahrain International Airport andTehran Imam Khomeini International Airport on 14 January. Mohammad Khodakarami, the deputy for aviation and international affairs of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), has been quoted in state media as saying that Gulf Air made the announcement through a letter to Iran'sCivil Aviation Organization. Khodakarami said that the airline's flights will remain suspended until further notice.[citation needed]
In the2022 World Cup qualifiers,Bahrain was grouped together withIran. Many Bahrainis took an interest in the encounter due to tensions between Bahrain and Iran. At the first match between Bahrain and Iran in the Bahraini capital,Manama, Bahrain supporters booed and whistled during the Iranian anthem and jeered the Iranian players. FIFA later fined Bahrain for the incident.[32] The match ended with a shock historic 1–0 win for Bahrain, the first time in 10 years that Bahrain beat Iran.
On 11 September 2020, Bahrain announced it would establish official ties withIsrael through the US-ledAbraham Accords. The surprising normalisation attempt by Bahrain prompted anger from the Iranian leadership, as many Iranian officials openly denounced the deal and accused Bahrain of working withZionist groups.[33][34]
Amidst public unrest across Iran related to thedeath of Mahsa Amini, Iranian government has begun laying claims around Bahrain with a revisionist aim, denying Bahrain's rights to exist, a move which was seen by Bahrain as a clear threat to its sovereignty.[35]
After Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish relations, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern AffairsBarbara Leaf told lawmakers, "I think [Bahrain-Iranian diplomatic normalization] will happen sometime soon."[36]
On 20 June 2016,Isa Qassim was stripped of his Bahraini citizenship. Aninterior ministry statement accused Sheikh Isa Qassim of using his position to "serve foreign interests" and promote "sectarianism and violence". Announcing the move to strip him of his Bahraini citizenship, the interior ministry said the cleric had "adopted theocracy and stressed the absolute allegiance to the clergy". It added that he had been in continuous contact with "organizations and parties that are enemies of the kingdom". Bahrain'scitizenship law allows for the cabinet to revoke the citizenship of anyone who "causes harm to the interests of the kingdom or behaves in a way inimical with the duty of loyalty to it".[37][38][39]
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