Iran Condemns Bahrain’s Move to Revoke Citizenship of Top Cleric
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Al Khalifa regime for it recent move to strip Bahrain’s most prominent Shiite cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, of his citizenship, saying the move would dash the hopes for reforms through dialogue in the kingdom.
Iran condemns the Bahraini government’s move to revoke the citizenship of the cleric, intensify security approach toward religious and national leaders and misappropriate religious assets and funds of the Bahraini people, the ministry said in a statement late on Monday.
The foreign ministry also emphasized that such measures by the Manama regime will “dash the hopes for reforms through dialogue and peaceful means”.
Bahrain said Monday that the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim has been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.
Sheikh Qassim, who is considered the spiritual leader of Bahrain's Shiite majority, was alleged to have used his position to "serve foreign interests and promote... sectarianism and violence," the Bahraini ministry said in a statement.
It comes days after a regime’s court issued an order earlier suspending the activities of Bahrain’s main opposition bloc, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, on charges of “terrorism, extremism, and violence”.
Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.
Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.
Amnesty International and many other international rights organizations have frequently censured the Bahraini regime for the rampant human rights abuses against opposition groups and anti-regime protesters.
