Ukraine in Arabic | Bahrain slams Iran over false statements
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Bahrain has strongly condemned the 'provocative statements' made by the spokeswoman of the Iranian foreign affairs ministry Iranian Foreign Ministry Marzieh Afkham.
In a statement issued by the foreign ministry on Monday evening, Bahrain said that it categorically rejected any form of interference in its internal affairs and that it decried all false, baseless and lacking credibility accusations against the kingdom.
“Bahrain has since olden times provided full freedom to all religious sects, both Muslims and non-Muslims, to exercise their rituals easily and without interference from anyone,” the ministry said. “The state had enacted laws and legislations to regulate and protect this freedom of religion practice, turning the kingdom, under the leadership of King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa into the most prominent model in the region regarding freedom of expression and opinion, religious tolerance and communal co-existence between all segments of the society under an advanced constitution and laws that guarantee freedom and equality among all and achieve security for all,” the ministry said.
Earlier in the day, Iran accused Bahraini authorities of attacking Shiites marking the yearly Ashura procession.
Shiite Muslims hold mourning processions on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, to mark the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein, who was killed in a battle in the Iraqi city of Karbala in 680 AD.
The day is commonly known as Ashura.
Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussain Amir Abdollahian in a separate statement “denounced sectarian behaviour toward religious rituals in Bahrain.”
Bahrain has been beset by political instability, one that Bahraini authorities blame on Shiite societies, for several years now.
Relations between Bahrain and Iran have also worsened in recent years against the background of accusations by Manama that Teheran interferes in its affairs.