Bahrain and Iran agree to start talks aimed at restoring ties

Bahrain had cut ties with Iran in 2016, but relations improved following the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement last year.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani speaks

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani travelled to Iran, where he met his Iranian counterpart [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters]

Published On 23 Jun 2024

23 Jun 2024

Bahrain and Iran have agreed to begin talks aimed at restoring political relations between the two countries, after a meeting between their foreign ministers in Tehran, the Bahraini foreign ministry has said.

The meeting between Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani and the acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani took place on Sunday, during al-Zayani’s visit to Iran, where he is participating in the Asian Cooperation Dialogue summit.

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“The two sides agreed in this meeting to establish the necessary mechanisms to begin talks between the two countries to study how to resume political relations between them,” a statement said.

Bahrain and Iran have had long-standing disputes for more than a decade. Manama had cut ties with Tehran in 2016 after tensions between Bahrain’s ally Saudi Arabia and Iran. Bahrain also accused Iran of being involved in a 2011 anti-government protest movement led by the country’s Shia community, which was put down after the arrival of a Saudi force into Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia had also cut ties with Iran in 2016, but restored them last year as part of a Chinese-brokered deal, and since then relations between Iran and Bahrain have also warmed.

Earlier in June, Bahrain sent a request via Russia to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran, Iranian news outlets reported.

And in May, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said the country was looking forward to improved relations with Iran.