Bahrain backs Morocco’s move to cut Iran ties

Manama : Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE yesterday welcomed Morocco’s decision to sever its ties with Iran for backing an alliance between Lebanese militia Hezbollah and the Polisario separatists. 

Morocco said that it has cut ties with Iran over its involvement in supporting and backing terrorist organisations. 

Morocco’s foreign minister said the Iranian embassy in Algiers facilitated the shipment of the surface to air missiles to the Polisario as well as the training of separatist militias on urban warfare by Hezbollah military experts.

Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, in a telephone call, told Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, that Bahrain backs Morocco’s decision to cut its ties with Iran. 

“Iran is funding enemies of Morocco and the Arab nation,” Shaikh Khalid said pointing out the need for collective action to confront all forms of Iranian interference and stop attempts to spread chaos in the region. 

“We support Morocco which has always backed Bahrain and we endorse its timely decision to sever ties with Iran who supports the enemies of the North African Kingdom using the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” Al Khalifa said in a tweet.

In an official statement, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister  Adel al-Jubeir denounced Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the Arab and Islamic states, and voiced his country’s support for the “brotherly Kingdom of Morocco”.

The Saudi official news agency said that Saudi Arabia will always stand by Morocco in the defence of its security, stability and territorial integrity.

UAE’s foreign minister Anwar Gargash said that his country supports Morocco’s supreme interests against Iran’s meddling. “Our policy and position are in line with the longstanding line drawn by Sheikh Zayed and King Hassan II,” Anwar Gargash said in a Tweet.