Tehran Orders Bahraini Diplomat to Leave Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Friday declared Bahrain’s second highest diplomat in Tehran “persona non grata”, asking him to leave the country within 72 hours.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry said Bassam Dalhan al-Dosari has 72 hours to leave Iran.
Iran also categorically denied Bahrain’s unfounded allegations that Tehran is interfering in the internal affairs of the tiny Persian Gulf island country of Bahrain.
The move by Iran came after the Bahraini Foreign Ministry on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Iran and ordered the Islamic Republic’s charge d’affaires in Manama to leave Bahrain.
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry said it asked the ambassador, Rashid Saad al-Dosari, to return, and declared the Iranian diplomat, Mohammad Reza Babaei, persona non grata and ordered him to leave.
Manama regime has accused Tehran of forming and arming groups opposed to the Al Khalifa regime.
The decision was taken a day after Bahraini officials claimed that they had arrested a number of people over allegations that they had links with Iran and Iraq for ‘terrorist activities.’
The allegations came as Manama regime is facing daily anti-regime protests since early 2011.
Protesters in Bahrain have held numerous demonstrations on the streets of the country, calling for the Al Khalifa family to relinquish power.