GCC ministers meeting in Riyadh on Thursday condemned Iran’s support for “terrorist gangs” in Bahrain and urged Tehran to stop fuelling “sectarian conflicts”.

In a statement issued at the end of a meeting in Riyadh, the ministers of the Arab states of the Gulf expressed “condemnation of the provocative and irresponsible statements, and acts of aggression by the Iranian regime towards the kingdom of Bahrain”.

They also deplored Tehran’s “support to terrorist gangs” and accused it of “fuelling sectarian strife to harm national unity in the kingdom”.

The ministerial council urged Iran to “abandon politics that lead to nourishing sectarian and confessional conflicts, and to stop forming and supporting groups and militias that fuel these conflicts in Arab states”.

Bahrain and fellow Gulf states have repeatedly accused Iran of meddling in the kingdom’s internal affairs, a charge that Tehran categorically denies.

Bahrain frequently busts terror cells. Many have been tried and jailed over charges of belonging to such groups.

Iran earlier on Thursday strongly denied any meddling in any Arab state in response to the statements by Arab leaders at a summit in Jordan.

Source; / khaleejtimes /