Bahraini king calls for ‘joint Arab force’

Bahraini King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday accused Iran of interfering in his country’s affairs and reiterated calls for a “joint Arab force” to counter regional threats.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi in Cairo, Al Khalida said: “Bahrain faces direct interference from Iran.”

“Bahrain supports the creation of a joint Arab force with a view to countering the threats facing us all,” King Hamad said, going on to call for bolstering military cooperation between his country and Egypt.

Al-Sisi voiced Egypt’s support for Bahrain’s calls to counter foreign interference in the region.

“Relations between Egypt and Bahrain represent a force against… [foreign] interference in the internal affairs [of the countries of the region],” he declared.

Earlier, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Bahrain also called for stepped-up Arab solidarity in the face of what they described as growing Iranian influence in the region.

The Bahraini monarch arrived in Cairo for a two-day visit yesterday. He is due to hold talks with Al-Sisi and Egyptian officials.