Saudi meddling in Bahrain will seriously backfire

TEHRAN, May 26 (MNA) -- After nearly 16 months of bloodshed on the tiny Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, the people are still pressing their legitimate demands for democracy and freedom. The proposal to establish a union between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain clearly indicates that the Bahraini government is serving the interests of its masters in Riyadh and paying no attention to the legitimate demands of its citizens. The proposed union is a blatant violation of Bahrain’s territorial integrity, and it has been vehemently condemned by the people of Bahrain. Iran also has the right to oppose the idea due to the extensive historical and cultural connections between the two countries. The Saudi proposal was rejected by the other members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) during their most recent meeting. They rejected the proposal because they believe the move would only address Riyadh’s security concerns and would provide no benefit to the other Arab states on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf. The fall of several dictatorial regimes in the Arab world since 2011 has frightened the House of Saud royal family and has caused them to make hasty decisions. The first step was Riyadh’s attempt to expand the PGCC to include Jordan and Morocco, the only two kingdoms in the Arab world outside of the bloc. When the Saudis failed to gain the necessary support for the move, they decided to stabilize their influence in Bahrain by colonizing the tiny country. However, there was a major backlash in the region to this plan, and it became evident that the House of Saud is very worried about the contagious effect of the Arab spring, which has already reached its shores. Iran is also expected to adopt a firm stance toward the continued Saudi intervention in Bahrain. Remaining silent and letting the Bahraini people stand up to the brutal crackdown will not suffice, and Tehran should issue an ultimatum about external interference in Bahrain. This may encourage the Saudi government to stop obediently serving the interests of the United States and Israel in the region and to start addressing the interests of its own people. Mohammad Ali Mohtadi is an established journalist and Middle East expert based in Tehran. (By Mohammad Ali Mohtadi)