Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry announced that it would not attend the meeting planned for September 14 in Muscat, the capital of Oman, in which Iran was also expected to participate. The meeting was expected to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement on the meeting, which was expected to bring together the foreign ministers of Iran and the Gulf countries, the ministry said Bahrain would not attend any joint meeting involving Iran until diplomatic relations with Tehran normalize. The decision had previously been conveyed to Oman through official channels.
The statement said Bahrain’s decision did not alter its appreciation for Oman’s adoption of dialogue to resolve disputes. However, Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry argued that dialogue cannot be based on ignoring the facts.
Bahraini authorities said the country’s infrastructure and civilian facilities had come under attack, adding that targeting an ammonia tank posed a risk of a major disaster. The statement also said Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline had been targeted.
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said the attacks showed that the threat to civilian and economic facilities remained. The ministry stated that regional security and stability could not be achieved by ignoring the attacks.
The statement also said Bahrain viewed the principle of “good neighborliness” as a legal obligation, not a political gesture.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that a meeting would be held in Oman to establish a new temporary secure route in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran also targeted U.S. military bases in Gulf countries with missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in retaliation for U.S. attacks. Civilian and economic facilities were damaged in attacks on several Gulf countries, including Bahrain.
