Foreign relations of Bahrain
Encyclopedia
Bahrain
plays a modest, moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League
on Middle East
peace and Palestinian
rights. Since achieving independence in 1971, Bahrain has maintained friendly relations with most of its neighbours and with the world community. It generally pursues a policy of close consultation with neighboring states and works to narrow areas of disagreement.
Bahrain is a member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
(GCC), established on May 26, 1981 with five other Persian Gulf states. The country has fully complied with steps taken by the GCC to coordinate economic development and defense and security planning. In December 1994, it concurred with the GCC decision to drop secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel
. In many instances, it has established special bilateral trade agreements.
The country’s foreign minister is Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
, a career diplomat. Educated in the United States, as a student Sheikh Khaled was a member of US President Jimmy Carter
’s 1980 presidential campaign team. His deputy is Dr Nazar Al Baharna
, a politician and business leader, who was appointed in 2006 following the victory of the biggest Shia party Al Wefaq
in that year's parliamentary elections. Al Baharna was formerly a leading member of Al Wefaq.
In June 2006, Bahrain was elected head of the United Nations General Assembly
, and used the honour to appoint Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa
as the Assembly's president, making her the first Middle East woman and only the third woman in history to take over the post. Sheikha Haya is a leading Bahraini lawyer and women's rights advocate who will take over the post at a time of change for the world body. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
said of her, "I met her yesterday and I found her quite impressive. All the member states are determined to work with her and to support her, and I think she's going to bring a new dimension to the work here." The move follows a series of appointments of women to high profile positions in the Kingdom (see Women's political rights in Bahrain
for further details).
During the Persian Gulf War
in 1990-1, Bahrain was part of the coalition that fought to liberate Kuwait
. Bahraini, RAF
, and USAF
pilots flew air strikes in Iraq from the Sheik Isa Air Base
, while coalition navies operated out of Manama
, the capital. Bahrain was hit by Scud missiles fired from Iraq. A number of Bahraini students studying in Iraq and Kuwait at the outbreak of hostilities went missing and are presumed the victims of Saddam Hussein's secret police.
After the liberation of Kuwait, Bahrain and the United States
strengthened their already good ties by signing a ten-year agreement in October 1991, which granted American forces access to Bahraini facilities and allowed the U.S. to pre-position war material for future crises. In July 1995 the U.S. 5th Fleet was established in the Persian Gulf
with its headquarters at NSA Bahrain in Manama
. In 2003, U.S. President
George W. Bush
designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally
.
Bahrain was an active member of the coalition that fought to remove the Taliban regime from Afghanistan in 2001; the Kingdom provided ships for the naval cordon in the Indian Ocean put in place to intercept fleeing Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.
However, the Kingdom opposed unilateral action against Iraq
in 2003, and to the annoyance of Washington in the run up to the war sought to defuse the crisis by offering Saddam Hussein
asylum as a way of avoiding war.
Bahrain-Iran relations have been strained since the Iranian Revolution
and the 1981 discovery of a planned Iran-sponsored coup in Bahrain. Bahraini suspicions of the Iranian role in local unrest in the mid-1990s remain. However, with the decline of Iraq as a regional powerbroker, Bahrain has begun taking steps to improve relations with Iran and increase regional harmony. These efforts have included encouraging Bahrain-Iran trade.
The long standing territorial dispute with Qatar
over the Hawar Islands
and the maritime boundary
were resolved in 2001 by a compromise decision of the International Court of Justice
(ICJ).
To mark Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on 2 October 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-sponsored with the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research
and the Indian Embassy a conference on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s
philosophy for the Arab world in the 21st Century. The conference, attended by Arab and Indian academics, UN officials and diplomats discussed the Gandhi’s teaching of non-violence, austerity and spiritualism with particular reference to the Arab world today. Among the keynote speakers was leading liberal academic, Dr Abdulla Al Madani, who emphasised Gandhi’s moral vision: "Had he resorted to kidnapping, suicide-bombings, beheadings, or other barbarian means, his memory would not have remained rooted in the world's conscience. Believing that the credibility of one's action lay in setting a personal example, Gandhi began with himself. He quit his legal practice, gave up wearing Western-style clothing, and embraced a humble lifestyle by making his own clothes and living on a simple vegetarian diet. This, of course, differs from the practice of leaders of some Arab resistance movements, who urge their followers to boycott the West while savouring the Western lifestyle, products, and technology."
(NIE) on Iran's nuclear pogramme at the end of November 2007, there was growing uneasiness in Bahrain at the possible consequences of a US-Iran military confrontation. The threat of US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities equally concerned Bahrain’s government and Shia-dominated opposition, with both expressing fears that it could undermine the delicate political accommodation the two sides have sought under King Hamad.
Tensions between Bahrain and Iran had already been raised in the summer of 2007, when Hossein Shariatmadari
, an Advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and editor of the Iranian newspaper, Kayan, called for Bahrain to be incorporated into Iran as its 14th province – a stance that echoed Saddam Hussein’s designs on Kuwait in the late 1980s. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, described the claim as “very disturbing” because it “touched on the legitimacy of our country”. Shariatmadari’s call led to protests on Bahrain’s streets, and was followed by intensive Bahrain-Iran diplomatic shuttling, with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki
, flying to Manama to play down the remarks and make clear that they were solely Shariatmadari’s personal opinion.
The relationship between various Bahraini communities and Iran is not as straight forward as it might at first seen: while Shia Bahrainis share a degree of religious affinity with Iran, they tend to be acutely conscious of their Arab identity and hence particularly sensitive to suggestions of dual loyalty (as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s
found in 2006 when he claim that Shia Arabs in the Persian Gulf were an “Iranian fifth column”; his views created a storm of criticism in Bahrain, with the deputy speaker of parliament calling on him to apologise). Bahrain’s Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa has gone out of his way to make clear that whatever religious or political persuasion, Bahrainis have the same fundamental loyalty to the state, saying "We are Bahrainis first, opposition or not." A point reiterated by a foreign diplomat in Bahrain in November 2007 who told the Independent newspaper that Shia Bahrainis are "loyal, patriotic, and looking after their own interests" and warned visiting journalists that it was completely misguided to see them as "willing agents and puppets of a malevolent Shia regime in Iran".
Religion itself has as much capacity to divide as to unite: Bahraini and Iranian Shia predominantly follow different and sometimes competitive theological strands in a division that goes back to the Safavids. German Persian Gulf analyst Maximilian Terhalle explained:
Among Sunni Bahrainis the situation is often equally complicated: many of the most influential Sunni business and political families have their origins in Iran, having emigrated to the more liberal economic and social atmosphere of Bahrain over the last hundred and fifty years; and in fact many still speak Persian in their homes. This community, known as Huwala
s, while not at all sympathetic to the theocratic government in Tehran, tend to have extensive business interests on both sides of the Persian Gulf and have looked forward to the prospect of growing Iran-Bahrain trade. A point reflected upon with some irony by Shia Bahraini writer, Tawfik Al-Rayyash, who in reference to the government/civil society’s reaction to Sharaitmadari's remarks said: "I ask myself why this outcry was led by people who, when they enter their homes or meet their families, change their language from Arabic to Persian."
The former head of the Salafist party Asalah in Bahrain, MP Sheikh Adel Mouwda
, expressed the Sunni Islamist perspective on Iran, telling the New York Times, "If Iran acted like an Islamic power, just Islam without Shiism, then Arabs would accept it as a regional Islamic power. But if it came to us with the Shia agenda as a Shiite power, then it will not succeed and it will be powerful, but despised and hated."
Nevertheless as Bahrain Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
said "If a war starts anything can happen. Iran is led by a Muslim Shia theocracy. It is difficult to see it under attack and Shias in Bahrain keeping quiet. A conflict between Iran and the world in this region will be catastrophic.” A point echoed by opposition Al Wefaq MP Dr Jasim Ali, "War could cause more than physical destruction. An attack on Iran will be seen in Bahrain as an attack on the Shia establishment. The sectarian divide will grow. If there is a war then everything else will stop. It'll be security first - and nothing else."
The growing tension prompted MPs in December 2007 to pass a non-binding resolution banning the use of the country’s territory for any attack on Iran.
The publication of the NIE on Iran's nuclear programme increased skepticism in the Persian Gulf as to the aims of US policy in the region. One sign of this was the clash between Bahraini government minister Majeed Al Alawi
and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
Manama Dialogue security summit in December 2007. Al Alawi challenged Gates over the US attitude to Israel's nuclear arsenal, asking whether he thought "the Zionist (Israeli) nuclear weapon is a threat to the region" Gates replied that he did not and proposed instead that Iran was the threat not Israel, a response that was met with "laughter and derision" by the audience of Persian Gulf officials according to the Washington Post.
India is a close ally of Bahrain, the Kingdom along with its GCC partners are (according to Indian officials) among the most prominent backers of India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and Bahraini officials have urged India to play a greater role in international affairs. For instance, over concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme Bahrain’s Crown Prince appealed to India to play an active role in resolving the crisis
Ties between India and Bahrain go back generations, with many of Bahrain’s most prominent figures having close connections: poet and constitutionalist Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh
grew up in Bombay, while 17th century Bahraini theologians Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani
and Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din were influential figures in the Kingdom of Golkonda
and the development of Shia thought in the sub-continent.
Bahraini politicians have sought to enhance these long standing ties, with Parliamentary Speaker Khalifa Al Dhahrani
in 2007 leading a delegation of parliamentarians and business leaders to meet Indian President Pratibha Patil
, opposition leader L K Advani, and take part in training and media interviews. Politically, it is easier for Bahrain’s politicians to seek training and advice from India than it is from the United States or other western alternative.
In December 2007, the Bahrain India Society was launched in Manama to promote ties between the two countries. Headed by the former Minister of Labour Abdulnabi Al Shoala, the Society seeks to take advantage of the development in civil society to actively work to strengthen ties between the two countries, not only business links, but according to the body’s opening statement in politics, social affairs, science and culture. India’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs E Ahmed and his Bahraini counterpart Dr Nazar Al Baharna
attended the launch.
Bahrain
and Pakistan
enjoy excellent, brotherly, cordial and deep ties. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
during his visit to Pakistan has termed Pakistan as his second home and has further stated that Pakistan was the country which is held in the highest esteem by the leadership and the people of Bahrain. Joint initiatives between Pakistani and Bahraini governments have started to further their bilateral trades, which reached to $250 million in 2007. Pakistani businessmen are eyeing on Bahrain's property market while Bahrain
is seeing Pakistan
as a good agricultural potential investment country.
and Turkey
were officially established on December 4, 1973. The relation between these two countries are considered positive, with trade at 78.1 million U.S dollars in 2006. Almost double then the amount then it was 2003. In 2007, trade was at 186 million U.S dollars.
, and Bahrain has an embassy in Moscow
.
and the United Kingdom is only one of four European countries to have an embassy in Manama
. Bahrain gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 and has since maintained diplomatic and trade relations.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
plays a modest, moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
on Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
peace and Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
rights. Since achieving independence in 1971, Bahrain has maintained friendly relations with most of its neighbours and with the world community. It generally pursues a policy of close consultation with neighboring states and works to narrow areas of disagreement.
Bahrain is a member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf , also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council , is a political and economic union of the Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf and constituting the Arabian Peninsula, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates...
(GCC), established on May 26, 1981 with five other Persian Gulf states. The country has fully complied with steps taken by the GCC to coordinate economic development and defense and security planning. In December 1994, it concurred with the GCC decision to drop secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In many instances, it has established special bilateral trade agreements.
The country’s foreign minister is Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
Khalid ibn Ahmad Al Khalifah
Sheikh Khalid ibn Ahmad Al Khalifa is the Foreign Minister of Bahrain. Sheikh Khaled was appointed in a cabinet reshuffle in September 2005, having previously been the ambassador to the United Kingdom, serving there from 2001....
, a career diplomat. Educated in the United States, as a student Sheikh Khaled was a member of US President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
’s 1980 presidential campaign team. His deputy is Dr Nazar Al Baharna
Nazar Al Baharna
Dr. Nazar Al Baharna is the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain;; currently he is that country's Minister of Health. Al Baharna was appointed in 2006 following the victory of the opposition party Al Wefaq in parliamentary elections that month. Al Baharna was formerly a member of...
, a politician and business leader, who was appointed in 2006 following the victory of the biggest Shia party Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
in that year's parliamentary elections. Al Baharna was formerly a leading member of Al Wefaq.
In June 2006, Bahrain was elected head of the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, and used the honour to appoint Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa
Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa
Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa is a lawyer and diplomat from Bahrain who was the President of the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly which began on September 12, 2006, and closed on September 17, 2007...
as the Assembly's president, making her the first Middle East woman and only the third woman in history to take over the post. Sheikha Haya is a leading Bahraini lawyer and women's rights advocate who will take over the post at a time of change for the world body. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
said of her, "I met her yesterday and I found her quite impressive. All the member states are determined to work with her and to support her, and I think she's going to bring a new dimension to the work here." The move follows a series of appointments of women to high profile positions in the Kingdom (see Women's political rights in Bahrain
Women's political rights in Bahrain
Women’s political rights have been a cornerstone of the political reforms initiated by King Hamad with for the first time women being given the right to vote and stand as candidates in national elections after the constitution was amended in 2002...
for further details).
During the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1990-1, Bahrain was part of the coalition that fought to liberate Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Bahraini, RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, and USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
pilots flew air strikes in Iraq from the Sheik Isa Air Base
Sheik Isa Air Base
Isa Air Base, formerly Shaikh Isa Air Base , is located on the 665 km² island nation of Bahrain which is situated off Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast...
, while coalition navies operated out of Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, the capital. Bahrain was hit by Scud missiles fired from Iraq. A number of Bahraini students studying in Iraq and Kuwait at the outbreak of hostilities went missing and are presumed the victims of Saddam Hussein's secret police.
After the liberation of Kuwait, Bahrain and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
strengthened their already good ties by signing a ten-year agreement in October 1991, which granted American forces access to Bahraini facilities and allowed the U.S. to pre-position war material for future crises. In July 1995 the U.S. 5th Fleet was established in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
with its headquarters at NSA Bahrain in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
. In 2003, U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally is a designation given by the United States government to close allies who have strategic working relationships with US armed forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization...
.
However, the Kingdom opposed unilateral action against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 2003, and to the annoyance of Washington in the run up to the war sought to defuse the crisis by offering Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
asylum as a way of avoiding war.
Bahrain-Iran relations have been strained since the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
and the 1981 discovery of a planned Iran-sponsored coup in Bahrain. Bahraini suspicions of the Iranian role in local unrest in the mid-1990s remain. However, with the decline of Iraq as a regional powerbroker, Bahrain has begun taking steps to improve relations with Iran and increase regional harmony. These efforts have included encouraging Bahrain-Iran trade.
The long standing territorial dispute with Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
over the Hawar Islands
Hawar Islands
The Hawar Islands are a group of islands situated off the west coast of Qatar in the Gulf of Bahrain of the Persian Gulf.Despite their proximity to Qatar , the islands...
and the maritime boundary
Maritime boundary
Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,...
were resolved in 2001 by a compromise decision of the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
(ICJ).
To mark Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on 2 October 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-sponsored with the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research
Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research
The Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research is a center that was established with the mission to serve the Bahraini community by conducting applied research, particularly of a contractual type, and to offer consultancies to leaders and decision makers in both the public and the private sectors...
and the Indian Embassy a conference on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
philosophy for the Arab world in the 21st Century. The conference, attended by Arab and Indian academics, UN officials and diplomats discussed the Gandhi’s teaching of non-violence, austerity and spiritualism with particular reference to the Arab world today. Among the keynote speakers was leading liberal academic, Dr Abdulla Al Madani, who emphasised Gandhi’s moral vision: "Had he resorted to kidnapping, suicide-bombings, beheadings, or other barbarian means, his memory would not have remained rooted in the world's conscience. Believing that the credibility of one's action lay in setting a personal example, Gandhi began with himself. He quit his legal practice, gave up wearing Western-style clothing, and embraced a humble lifestyle by making his own clothes and living on a simple vegetarian diet. This, of course, differs from the practice of leaders of some Arab resistance movements, who urge their followers to boycott the West while savouring the Western lifestyle, products, and technology."
Bahrain and US-Iran relations
Before the US published the National Intelligence EstimateNational Intelligence Estimate
National Intelligence Estimates are United States federal government documents that are the authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence on intelligence related to a particular national security issue...
(NIE) on Iran's nuclear pogramme at the end of November 2007, there was growing uneasiness in Bahrain at the possible consequences of a US-Iran military confrontation. The threat of US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities equally concerned Bahrain’s government and Shia-dominated opposition, with both expressing fears that it could undermine the delicate political accommodation the two sides have sought under King Hamad.
Tensions between Bahrain and Iran had already been raised in the summer of 2007, when Hossein Shariatmadari
Hossein Shariatmadari
Hossein Shariatmadari is the managing editor of Kayhan, a conservative Iranian newspaper.Before the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Shariatmadari was allegedly tortured by Iranian Shah's Police or SAVAK .Hossein Shariatmadari is the managing editor of Kayhan, a conservative Iranian newspaper.Before the...
, an Advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and editor of the Iranian newspaper, Kayan, called for Bahrain to be incorporated into Iran as its 14th province – a stance that echoed Saddam Hussein’s designs on Kuwait in the late 1980s. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, described the claim as “very disturbing” because it “touched on the legitimacy of our country”. Shariatmadari’s call led to protests on Bahrain’s streets, and was followed by intensive Bahrain-Iran diplomatic shuttling, with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki
Manouchehr Mottaki
Manouchehr Mottaki is an Iranian politician and diplomat. He was the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Whilst technically appointed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is considered to be closer to more pragmatic conservative factions and during the 2005 presidential election, he was the campaign...
, flying to Manama to play down the remarks and make clear that they were solely Shariatmadari’s personal opinion.
The relationship between various Bahraini communities and Iran is not as straight forward as it might at first seen: while Shia Bahrainis share a degree of religious affinity with Iran, they tend to be acutely conscious of their Arab identity and hence particularly sensitive to suggestions of dual loyalty (as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
found in 2006 when he claim that Shia Arabs in the Persian Gulf were an “Iranian fifth column”; his views created a storm of criticism in Bahrain, with the deputy speaker of parliament calling on him to apologise). Bahrain’s Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa has gone out of his way to make clear that whatever religious or political persuasion, Bahrainis have the same fundamental loyalty to the state, saying "We are Bahrainis first, opposition or not." A point reiterated by a foreign diplomat in Bahrain in November 2007 who told the Independent newspaper that Shia Bahrainis are "loyal, patriotic, and looking after their own interests" and warned visiting journalists that it was completely misguided to see them as "willing agents and puppets of a malevolent Shia regime in Iran".
Religion itself has as much capacity to divide as to unite: Bahraini and Iranian Shia predominantly follow different and sometimes competitive theological strands in a division that goes back to the Safavids. German Persian Gulf analyst Maximilian Terhalle explained:
Among Sunni Bahrainis the situation is often equally complicated: many of the most influential Sunni business and political families have their origins in Iran, having emigrated to the more liberal economic and social atmosphere of Bahrain over the last hundred and fifty years; and in fact many still speak Persian in their homes. This community, known as Huwala
Huwala
The Huwala meaning "Those that have changed or moved". Originally the "Huwala" word is Arabic, but since Persian does not contain the pharyngeal fricative "ح" present in Arabic, it pronounced it Huwala...
s, while not at all sympathetic to the theocratic government in Tehran, tend to have extensive business interests on both sides of the Persian Gulf and have looked forward to the prospect of growing Iran-Bahrain trade. A point reflected upon with some irony by Shia Bahraini writer, Tawfik Al-Rayyash, who in reference to the government/civil society’s reaction to Sharaitmadari's remarks said: "I ask myself why this outcry was led by people who, when they enter their homes or meet their families, change their language from Arabic to Persian."
The former head of the Salafist party Asalah in Bahrain, MP Sheikh Adel Mouwda
Adel Mouwda
Sheikh Adel Al Mouwda was the second deputy chairman of Bahrain's parliament of 2002, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah...
, expressed the Sunni Islamist perspective on Iran, telling the New York Times, "If Iran acted like an Islamic power, just Islam without Shiism, then Arabs would accept it as a regional Islamic power. But if it came to us with the Shia agenda as a Shiite power, then it will not succeed and it will be powerful, but despised and hated."
Nevertheless as Bahrain Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
Khalid ibn Ahmad Al Khalifah
Sheikh Khalid ibn Ahmad Al Khalifa is the Foreign Minister of Bahrain. Sheikh Khaled was appointed in a cabinet reshuffle in September 2005, having previously been the ambassador to the United Kingdom, serving there from 2001....
said "If a war starts anything can happen. Iran is led by a Muslim Shia theocracy. It is difficult to see it under attack and Shias in Bahrain keeping quiet. A conflict between Iran and the world in this region will be catastrophic.” A point echoed by opposition Al Wefaq MP Dr Jasim Ali, "War could cause more than physical destruction. An attack on Iran will be seen in Bahrain as an attack on the Shia establishment. The sectarian divide will grow. If there is a war then everything else will stop. It'll be security first - and nothing else."
The growing tension prompted MPs in December 2007 to pass a non-binding resolution banning the use of the country’s territory for any attack on Iran.
The publication of the NIE on Iran's nuclear programme increased skepticism in the Persian Gulf as to the aims of US policy in the region. One sign of this was the clash between Bahraini government minister Majeed Al Alawi
Majeed Al Alawi
Dr Majeed Mohsen Al Alawi is Bahrain’s former Minister of Labour Affairs. For a short time, he was also Minister of Housing. Under his leadership, the country carried out wide-ranging labour reforms with potentially profound implications for its economy and society. The reforms were not without...
and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
Manama Dialogue security summit in December 2007. Al Alawi challenged Gates over the US attitude to Israel's nuclear arsenal, asking whether he thought "the Zionist (Israeli) nuclear weapon is a threat to the region" Gates replied that he did not and proposed instead that Iran was the threat not Israel, a response that was met with "laughter and derision" by the audience of Persian Gulf officials according to the Washington Post.
Bahrain-India relations
India is a close ally of Bahrain, the Kingdom along with its GCC partners are (according to Indian officials) among the most prominent backers of India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and Bahraini officials have urged India to play a greater role in international affairs. For instance, over concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme Bahrain’s Crown Prince appealed to India to play an active role in resolving the crisis
Ties between India and Bahrain go back generations, with many of Bahrain’s most prominent figures having close connections: poet and constitutionalist Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh
Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh
Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh was one of the greatest poets of Bahrain.Al-Arrayedh grew up in Bombay, India without speaking any Arabic, and it was only after his family moved back to their home in Bahrain when he was eighteen did he learn the language. His first poetry was published in Baghdad in 1931...
grew up in Bombay, while 17th century Bahraini theologians Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani
Salih Al-Karzakani
Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth century Bahraini theologian who was appointed by the Safavid empire as a religious court judge in Shiraz. Al Karzakani left Bahrain along with his friend and fellow cleric Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth...
and Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din were influential figures in the Kingdom of Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
and the development of Shia thought in the sub-continent.
Bahraini politicians have sought to enhance these long standing ties, with Parliamentary Speaker Khalifa Al Dhahrani
Khalifa Al Dhahrani
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain, assigned the Speaker of the Council of Representatives Mr. Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dahrani to chair the National Dialogue because of the popularity and confidence he enjoys among all the political forces, in addition to his broad experience...
in 2007 leading a delegation of parliamentarians and business leaders to meet Indian President Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
, opposition leader L K Advani, and take part in training and media interviews. Politically, it is easier for Bahrain’s politicians to seek training and advice from India than it is from the United States or other western alternative.
In December 2007, the Bahrain India Society was launched in Manama to promote ties between the two countries. Headed by the former Minister of Labour Abdulnabi Al Shoala, the Society seeks to take advantage of the development in civil society to actively work to strengthen ties between the two countries, not only business links, but according to the body’s opening statement in politics, social affairs, science and culture. India’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs E Ahmed and his Bahraini counterpart Dr Nazar Al Baharna
Nazar Al Baharna
Dr. Nazar Al Baharna is the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain;; currently he is that country's Minister of Health. Al Baharna was appointed in 2006 following the victory of the opposition party Al Wefaq in parliamentary elections that month. Al Baharna was formerly a member of...
attended the launch.
Pakistan
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
enjoy excellent, brotherly, cordial and deep ties. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain is the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and is deputy supreme commander of the Bahrain defence force...
during his visit to Pakistan has termed Pakistan as his second home and has further stated that Pakistan was the country which is held in the highest esteem by the leadership and the people of Bahrain. Joint initiatives between Pakistani and Bahraini governments have started to further their bilateral trades, which reached to $250 million in 2007. Pakistani businessmen are eyeing on Bahrain's property market while Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
is seeing Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
as a good agricultural potential investment country.
Turkey
Relations between BahrainBahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
were officially established on December 4, 1973. The relation between these two countries are considered positive, with trade at 78.1 million U.S dollars in 2006. Almost double then the amount then it was 2003. In 2007, trade was at 186 million U.S dollars.
Russia
Russia has an embassy in ManamaManama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, and Bahrain has an embassy in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
United Kingdom
Bahrain has an embassy in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the United Kingdom is only one of four European countries to have an embassy in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
. Bahrain gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 and has since maintained diplomatic and trade relations.
See also
- Bahraini diplomatic missions
- Iran-Arab Relations (Bahrain)
- Territorial disputes in the Persian GulfTerritorial disputes in the Persian GulfThis article deals with territorial disputes between states of in and around the Persian Gulf in Southwestern Asia. These states include Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates , and Oman.-Background:...