Iran and Bahrain: A Move Towards Normalizing Relations Soon

The Deputy Speaker of the Bahraini Parliament, Abdul Nabi Suleiman, revealed that relations with Iran will be resumed soon. In statements to the "Erem News" website, he stated that "resuming political and commercial relations between the two countries is important, as Iran is a neighboring country, and Bahrain supports the ties of stability between it and all countries in the region." He added that "the move towards resuming relations between the two countries has received significant positive feedback from both the Bahraini government and people, and the Bahraini parliament issued a statement welcoming this step." He continued, "We are the closest country to Iran among the Gulf states, and there is also an Iranian community living in Bahrain and vice versa, as well as trade exchanges between the two countries that have been ongoing for decades." The Deputy Speaker of the Bahraini Parliament confirmed that the resumption of relations between Manama and Tehran is "conditional on respecting good neighborliness." He noted that "this could be achieved with expected Russian support, which could play a mediating role between Bahrain and Iran, as Moscow has a direct interest in stability in the region and enjoys strong relations with Gulf countries and can offer a lot to build bridges," he said. Last Thursday, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa stated during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Bahrain supports normalizing relations with Iran.