Iran's Foreign Minister condemns Israeli counterpart's visit to Bahrain; 'clear betrayal'

Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iran's foreign minister, has condemned the Israeli Foreign Minister's recent visit to Bahrain, ANI reported, quoting Tasnim news agency. The Bahraini government's reception of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on October 1 was "a clear betrayal of the oppressed and resilient Palestinian people's struggle," according to Amir Abdollahian.

He was quoted as saying that Israel's presence in the region will result in 'insecurity for Bahrain and the entire region.' Yair Lapid, the visiting Israeli Foreign Minister, and Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Bahraini Foreign Minister, jointly inaugurated the Israeli embassy in Manama on September 30.

Iranian officials have pushed neighbouring states to avoid forging connections with Israel, describing such ties as "threats" to the Islamic republic's security.

Iran-Israel Conflict

Israel and Iran were on better terms during the reign of Iran's last monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, but relations deteriorated following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Iran's new Islamic Republic has branded Israel as a Middle East imperialist force and they began to support groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, which regularly attacks Israel, and Hamas in Palestine.

Israel has attempted to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons by assassinating the majority of Iranian nuclear scientists.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: AP