Bahrain says won’t participate in Hormuz meeting with Iran

Bahrain announced on Saturday that it would not participate in an upcoming meeting between Iran and Gulf states to discuss the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf nation cited ongoing attacks on infrastructure in the region and emphasized that security and stability cannot be maintained through appeasement. Instead, Bahrain called for the strait to remain open without discrimination, fees, or permits.

Iran's foreign ministry had indicated that a meeting would take place on Monday in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Tehran has been seeking to formalize its control over the waterway, potentially including charging passage fees, and has been in talks with Muscat, whose territorial waters also encompass Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz, which was previously open to shipping from all nations, has been under blockade during the Middle East war initiated by the United States and Israel in late February.

Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue but stated that it would not join any collective meeting involving Iran until the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 alongside Saudi Arabia during a previous regional crisis. While Saudi Arabia has since restored its relations with Iran in 2023, Bahrain remains unyielding in its stance.