Iraq has summoned the envoys of Bahrain and the United States to protest their insulting and meddlesome comments about the Arab state’s domestic affairs and relations with neighboring Iran.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sahaf told Iraq’s al-Sumaria News TV channel on Saturday night that Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali al-Hakim had issued the order to summon the American chargé d’affaires as well as the Bahraini ambassador to Baghdad.
Baghdad is angry over a tweet recently posted by Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifah, in which he insulted Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose Sairoon (Alliance Towards Reform) bloc holds the highest number of seats in the parliament.
The top Bahraini diplomat also lashed out at Sadr for blaming the political crisis in the Persian Gulf kingdom on the Al Khalifah rulers, calling the Iraqi politician a “fool” and a “dog” disguised as a man and claiming that Iran “controls” Iraq.
In a statement, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry condemned the “offensive” remarks and called for an official apology from the Manama regime.
The comments “are totally unacceptable in diplomatic practice. They also harm Iraq, its sovereignty and independence, especially when the Bahraini minister speaks of Iraq being under the control of neighboring Iran,” read the statement.
“Everyone must know their limits, abide by facts and have diplomatic qualifications. Today, Iraq is recovering and strengthening, and will not accept any interference in its affairs, nor will it accept any abuse of its national and religious symbols,” it added.
Source: Press TV
