Bahrain says won’t participate in Hormuz meeting with Iran

Bahrain announced on Saturday that it will not participate in an upcoming meeting between Iran and Gulf states in Oman to discuss the Strait of Hormuz. The decision comes amid ongoing attacks on infrastructure across the Gulf and Tehran's blockade of the waterway throughout the Middle East conflict.

Bahrain's foreign ministry emphasized that security and stability in the region cannot be maintained through appeasement policies. Instead, they called for the Strait of Hormuz to be open without discrimination, fees, or permits. The ministry expressed concern over Iran's attempts to formalize its control over the strait, including potentially charging passage fees.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson had previously stated that a meeting would take place on Monday, hosted by Muscat, where the future of the strait would be negotiated. The waterway, crucial for global oil and gas flows, has been free for all nations to use before the Middle East war, which began on February 28th.

The Bahraini foreign ministry stated that it remains committed to dialogue but will not engage in any collective meeting that includes Iran before restoring diplomatic relations with the country. Bahrain severed ties with Iran in 2016 alongside Saudi Arabia during a previous crisis between the regional rivals. While Riyadh restored diplomatic relations with Iran in 2023, Bahrain has yet to follow suit.