Iran rejects Bahrain’s claims about links to terror cell

TEHRAN,Feb.19(MNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast rejected the Bahraini government’s claims that there are links between Tehran and eight Bahraini members of a terrorist cell who have been arrested. According to the official Bahrain News Agency, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa issued a statement saying the eight had received training in weapons and explosives and had also obtained funding from outside Bahrain, Reuters reported on Sunday. "Recent media reports have revealed the discovery of a Bahraini terrorist cell with links to Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon," BNA quoted Sheikh Rashid as saying in the statement. On Monday, Mehmanparast said, “Bahraini officials are facing their people’s demands, which are expressed peacefully. But, instead of listening to their people and realizing their demands, they are leveling accusations against different countries, including Iran.” “They believe that they can resolve the issue this way, but this method is wrong,” he added. “We have said time and again that a country can only become powerful through gaining the support of the majority of its people,” Mehmanparast noted. “Instead of depending on superpowers, if governments try to realize their people’s demands… they will definitely gain real power.”