• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Kerry, Bahrain Leader Discuss Iran's Destabilizing Activities

by Pamela Dockins April 07, 2016

Iran needs to change its "foreign policy" in the region and stop weapons shipments, training "terrorists" and financing and supporting "proxies," said Bahrain's foreign minister.

In a Thursday appearance with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said Iran needed to devote as much effort to its "neighbors" as it did to securing the nuclear agreement with the United States and five other world powers.

His comments indicate ongoing concerns among Bahrain and other Gulf countries about what they view as Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region, an issue they raised with the U.S. before the January implementation of the nuclear deal with Tehran.

Since September, military ships have intercepted four vessels containing weapons that were believed to have come from Iran. All were believed intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The most recent incident took place in late March. The U.S. Navy said it seized AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns from a dhow off the coast of Oman.

Also, Tehran has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles. U.S. officials say the tests do not violate the nuclear agreement but are a U.N. Security Council resolution violation.

"We call on Iran to prove to the world that it wants to be a constructive member of the international community," said Kerry.

He said Tehran should help end the war in Yemen, "not prolong it," and help end the war in Syria,"not intensify it.

Kerry said there was no pretense that the nuclear deal would erase other challenges with Iran.

Rights record questioned

Bahrain's human rights record was a focal point during Kerry and Al Khalifa's appearance, in particular, the case involving Zainab al-Khawaja, a political activist who was detained with her young son last month.

Al Khalifa said the woman chose to keep her son with her in detention.

He also said she would be released "pending her case in the court."

Without specifically addressing the case, Kerry said Bahrain had made progress in some areas but that more work remained.

Regional conflicts

Kerry and Al Khalifa discussed a range of regional issues on Thursday ahead of a full meeting with foreign ministers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group that includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates along with Bahrain.

Kerry said the fight against Islamic State militants would be a "centerpiece" of those discussions.

The main goal of Kerry's visit to Bahrain is to lay the groundwork for President Barack Obama's attendance at the April 21 GCC summit in Saudi Arabia.

US Navy base visit

Earlier Thursday, Kerry visited the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain that is the headquarters for both the Fifth Fleet and a multinational force that deals with maritime security and combats piracy.

His visit comes a day after the base launched a large maritime exercise involving more than 30 countries.

Military officials say there are about 8,000 U.S. service personnel in Bahrain, mostly from the Navy.

"The core of the focus is the destruction of Daesh, ISIL," said Kerry to military personnel at the base, referring to Islamic State.

"You are all central to our ability to do this," he added.

Bahrain is the first stop of a week-long trip for Kerry. Later, he travels to Hiroshima, Japan, where he will attend a G7 ministerial meeting and visit a World War II memorial.