Iran says Bahrain willing to normalize diplomatic ties

TABNAK: The remarks were made by Deputy Chief of Staff for Political Affairs to the Iranian President Mohammad Jamshidi in a televised interview.

Jamshidi further noted that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also requested to normalize relations with Iran through Chinese President Xi Jinping.   

“Likewise, Bahrain has sent a message to Iran through Russia to normalize relations with Iran,” he continued.

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in a recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that there was no reason to postpone the resumption of ties between his country and Iran.

He had said that Manama was looking forward to improving its relations with Tehran, according to Bahrain News Agency.

Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani recently visited Tehran to offer condolences on the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi, who lost his life alongside seven others in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran on May 19.

In 2016, Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Iran following Saudi Arabia's decision to cut ties with Tehran. Ties between the two neighbors severed after execution of a Shiite cleric by Saudi Arabia and attacks on the kingdom’s diplomatic missions in Iran.

In March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a groundbreaking agreement in China to restore bilateral diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions.