“President’s deputy chief of staff of political affairs Mohammad Jamshidi,” ISNA, 7 June 2024.
“Bahrain directly sent this message that it wants to resume relations with Iran.”
Summary: Iran claims that Bahrain wants to restore ties with Tehran, following Saudi Arabia’s lead.
According to a state media interview with Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff of political affairs, Bahrain “wants to resume relations with Iran.” The interview, reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency on 7 June noted in May, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said Manama welcomed the recommencement of ties between the Persian Gulf neighbors.[i] A similar message was reportedly delivered during Al Khalifa’s visit to China during the same month.[ii]
If true, the resumption of Iran-Bahrain ties would end nearly a decade of separation. In 2016, Bahrain followed Saudi Arabia in ending ties with Iran after a mob stormed the Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashhad in response to the execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr. An example of the warming ties occurred when President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and their cohort died in a helicopter crash on 19 May, and Bahrain’s King Hamad gave his condolences to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[iii] The Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani also attended the state funeral.[iv]
For their parts, in March 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia recommenced ties through a China-brokered deal which allowed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait to follow suit (both had downgraded ties due to the storming incident). Bahrain appears to be the next in line, which is noteworthy not only because it is home to the United States Fifth Fleet, but also because it normalized relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords in 2020.[v]
Bahrain tends to follow Saudi Arabia’s thinking. With the ongoing Gaza war bringing strong criticism from the Arab streets of the region’s monarchies—Jordan, Bahrain, and the UAE—the revival of ties has the potential to keep the Persian Gulf calm (in the event of a regional escalation between Israel and Iran), and arguably balance out some of the angry sentiment towards Arab monarchies for their relations with Israel.
Sources:
“تمایل بحرین برای برقراری روابط سیاسی با ایران (Bahrain government’s desire to establish political relations with Iran),” Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA- semi-official news agency), 7 June 2024. http://www.isna.ir/xdRgjG
The president’s deputy chief of staff gave news of Bahrain’s desire to establish political relations with Iran. According to ISNA, Mohammad Jamshidi stated in part of a television interview: “Bahrain directly sent this message that it wants to resume relations with Iran, however, this request was made during a meeting with Russian officials.”
Notes:
[i] “King of Bahrain Says No Reason to Delay Normalizing Ties with Iran,” Asharq al-Awsat, 24 May 2024. https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5023861-king-bahrain-says-no-reason-delay-normalizing-ties-iran
[ii] “Bahrain sent message through Russia to normalize ties with Iran: Official,” Al Jazeera, 7 June 2024. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/7/bahrain-sent-message-through-russia-to-normalise-ties-with-iran-official
[iii] “President Sheikh Mohamed and other world leaders send condolences on death of Iran’s Raisi,” The National, 22 May 2024. https://thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/05/20/iran-president-raisi-condolences
[iv] “Assigned by HM King, Foreign Minister condoles with Iranian officials,” Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2024. https://www.mofa.gov.bh/en/assigned-by-hm-king-foreign-minister-condoles-with-iranian-officials
[v] “The Abraham Accords,” US Department of State. https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/
OE Insight Summary:
IRN claims that BHR wants to recommence ties IRN, following the lead of SAU.
Image Information:
Image: “President’s deputy chief of staff of political affairs Mohammad Jamshidi,” ISNA, 7 June 2024.
Source: http://www.isna.ir/xdRgjG
Attribution: CCA-SA 4.0 Intl.