Bahrain expels Iranian diplomat as ties worsen
Bahrain has ordered a senior Iranian diplomat to leave the tiny island kingdom as ties between the two nations are worsening. The expulsion is likely to raise tensions in the oil-rich Persian Gulf. The state-owned Bahrain News Agency reported late Monday that Hujatullah Rahmani, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Manama, was declared a persona non grata and ordered out within 72 hours.
Bahrain declared martial law last month and invited troops from Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-ruled Gulf states to help contain opposition protests led by its Shiite majority demanding greater freedoms. Tehran denounced the troop deployment and condemned the crackdown. (AP)
