Iran advises Bahrain to meet public demands instead of calling for ‘friends of Iran conference’

TEHRAN,Jan.2(MNA) – Iran on Tuesday advised the Bahraini government to listen to the voice of the people instead of putting forward an initiative to hold a conference of the friends of the Iranian people. According to Asharq Alawsat, the Bahraini Foreign Minister, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, said on December 18, 2012 that a “Friends of the Iranian People Conference” should be held, a proposal which has been endorsed by the leader of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), Maryam Rajavi. Bahrain has alleged that Iran is interfering in the country’s internal affairs and that the Iranian people are experiencing a “catastrophic” situation, claiming that it is necessary that such a conference be held to support the rights of the Iranians. Speaking during his regular press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that the Bahraini foreign minister’s remarks were a departure from diplomatic norms. He added, “Given the problems inside this country, it seems that they (Bahraini officials) are complicating their country’s problems further instead of seeking a proper solution through paying attention to the people’s demands.” “The friends of Iran are the very people of Bahrain, and… it would be better if they (Bahraini officials) listen to the voice of their people and refrain from strengthening terrorist groups and harboring munafiqin (hypocrites), and they should learn a lesson from the fate of (former Iraqi dictator) Saddam (Hussein). Our nation is a great nation. It has friends in all countries, including regional countries,” he stated. U.S. law against Iran’s influence in Latin America is an act of interference Mehmanparast also replied to a question about the fact that U.S. President Barack Obama enacted a law on Friday to counter Iran’s influence in Latin America through a new diplomatic and political strategy to be designed by the State Department. According to AFP, the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act, passed by lawmakers earlier in 2012, calls for the State Department to develop a strategy within 180 days to address Iran’s growing presence and activity in the region. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman described the law as “a clear act of interference in countries’ internal affairs,” adding, “Iran’s relationship with all countries, particularly (those in) Latin America, is friendly and based on respect.” “U.S. officials openly interfere in other countries, and this shows that they are not aware of the new situation in international relations and are still living in the Cold War era and assume that they can impose their policies on independent countries,” he said. “The United States assumes that Latin American countries are this country’s backyard and it can interfere in internal affairs of these countries,” Mehmanparast said, adding, “They have to accept joint global governance and welcome the participation of other countries so that economic and social crises that have been created can be resolved. The people will also not accept such interventionist measures, and (national) interests will be taken into account in Latin American countries.”