Bahrain King Calls for an End to Iranian Interference in Gulf States

MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has called on Iran to stop meddling in Bahrain and the wider Gulf, issuing a blunt warning after weeks of escalating military tension in the region.

In remarks published by the state-run Bahrain News Agency, the king condemned the recent strikes as “heinous aggression” that he said was aimed squarely at the safety and stability of the Bahraini people. He added that the strain the kingdom has endured had “exposed many faces” that had previously concealed their real motives.

All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) came under attack from Iran after airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian territory in late February. Tehran said it was responding to American military assets and interests, but the attacks struck energy facilities, airports and civilian homes across the Gulf.

Bahraini officials said their air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 194 missiles and 523 drones before a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire took effect on April 8.

King Hamad also delivered a forceful message to Bahraini citizens accused of working with foreign enemies, calling such conduct a “forfeiture of national trust” and an unforgivable act of treason. Citizenship, he said, is a sacred covenant, and those who break it should lose the rights that come with it.

The king’s comments came as Bahraini courts handed down a series of punishments this week. Five people were sentenced to life in prison, and 25 others received 10-year terms for backing the Iranian attacks. The government has also stripped 69 people of their citizenship over alleged ties to groups seen as threats to national security.

AXADLETM