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Bahrain bans Iranian ships from its waters

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:19:04 GMT Bahrain bans Iranian ships from entering its territorial waters, as comments on Iran's past sovereignty over the island have upset Manama.

Bahrain bans Iranian ships from entering its territorial waters, as comments on Iran's past sovereignty over the island have upset Manama.

An unnamed Bahraini official told the dpa on Friday that, "Iranian shipping vessels had been asked to avoid Bahraini territorial waters and no Iranian vessel will be allowed in until further notice," adding that the Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) were not affected by the decision.

The ban was announced a few days after the kingdom halted talks to reach a gas deal with Iran. Bahrain's National Oil Gas Affairs minister and chairman of NOGA, Abdul Hossein Ali Mirza, also confirmed on Friday that talks over the gas deal with Tehran had been frozen.

The Bahraini decision came after recent comments by a number of Iranian politicians, who criticized the former Shah's regime for giving up Iran's sovereignty rights over its 14th province, Bahrain, in a 1971 deal with the Island's British occupiers.

Relations have become more strained as Bahraini officials regularly accuse Iran of supporting the kingdom's Shia majority in opposing the minority Sunni monarchy.

However, Hussein Amir Abdullahyan, Iran's top diplomat in Bahrain said on Friday that Iran was looking to strengthen relations with its neighbors and already enjoyed strong relations with Bahrain.

Abdullahyan stressed that Bahrain is an independent country and that is the official stand of the Islamic Republic.


Original Article: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=86303§ionid=351020205