A HUGE row has broken out between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain over comments made by an Iranian cleric earlier this month claiming dominion over the island nation.
Ali Akbar Natiq Nuri, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claimed Bahrain was an integral part of Iran that was conceded by Iran’s Shah Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi.
Bahrain received its independence from the British in 1971, but had been ruled by Iran on and off over the last couple of millenniums.
Bahrain has made it clear that it will not tolerate statements undermining its sovereignty. In the past few days, it has suspended talks over the importation of natural gas from Iran and barred Iranian ships from reaching its shores, according to media reports. Meanwhile, Iran has backtracked, reaffirming its full recognition of Bahraini sovereignty.
The dispute is deeply rooted. Bahrain is a predominantly Shia nation ruled by a minority of Sunni Muslims. The small state, which relies on tourism from more conservative neighbouring countries, regularly accuses Iranians of stirring up opposition in the ranks of the Bahraini Shia.
Opposition figures in Bahrain regularly assert that authorities have been clamping down on the political rights of Shias, in a country where sectarian violence is repeatedly reported.
German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) reported on Friday that Iranian ships had been asked to leave Bahraini territorial waters. A Bahraini official who spoke on condition of anonymity told DPA that “no Iranian vessel will be allowed in until further notice”.
This comes after Bahrain decided to halt negotiations to import one billion cubic feet of gas per day from Iran through a new pipeline. Bahraini newspaper Al-Ayam wrote recently that “the decision . . . shows Bahrain’s vexation with the [Iranian] claims regarding Bahrain that are affecting bilateral relations and co-operation in various areas, mainly energy and economy”.
Iranian officials tried to underplay earlier comments in apparent attempts to save the lucrative gas deal with Bahrain.
Bahrain may have no choice but to eventually settle. It has no natural gas and its gas-rich Arab neighbours have already committed their supplies to other countries. It needs Iran to keep its industries running.