Dubai-To Bahrainis, the warning issued by Qasim Sulaimani, commander of Quds terrorist force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was merely a confirmation of the hostile stances taken by some Iranian officials against Bahrain in recent years.
A study of the statements issued by Iran’s regime regrading Bahrain between February 2011 and May 2013 concluded that Bahrain remains a direct target in the Iranian plans for the region and that 160 antagonistic statements were made in the two-year period, Dubai-based Gulf News reported.
Among those who spoke against Bahrain were Iran’s “supreme leader” who made six statements, foreign minister made eight, spokesperson for the foreign ministry and foreign ministry undersecretary for Arab and African affairs made 14 each and parliamentary commission officials made 16. The other statements were made by officials with lower ranks.
According to the study prepared by the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies, several statements were clear incitement to violence and to resist the local authorities. Many of the statements were not limited to Bahrain and targeted other countries in the Gulf, mainly Saudi Arabia.
The study found out that the Iranian media regularly stir sectarianism and aim to incite the people against the authorities.
Tehran’s proxies, mainly in Iraq and Lebanon, were also used in the campaigns targeting Bahrain.
Source: BNA, 22 June 2016
