A nuclear Iran would have "catastrophic" implications not just for the Middle East, but for the international community as a whole, Bahrain's top diplomat warned Tuesday.
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In an exclusive interview with i24NEWS journalist Christian Malard, Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani spoke of the challenges facing the small Arab state bordering the Persian Gulf, including the issue of the Iranian threat.
"Iran achieving nuclear weapons status would definitely be a catastrophic development not just for the region but also for the wider world," al-Zayani said.
"Enabling Iran to hold large parts of the world at ransom through its nuclear threat is why it is so important that this cannot be allowed to happen," the minister continued.
Malard asked al-Zayani for his stance on Israel's preparations for a military intervention to stop Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold.
While not commenting specifically on Israeli policy, the Bahraini official stressed that dealing with the Iran nuclear threat can be achieved "comprehensively," in an apparent reference to international diplomatic efforts, as preferable to unilateral military action.
Bahrain normalized relations with Israel last year as part of the Abraham Accords.
"We are seeing more creative and positive thinking around common issues that we are facing in the region and a greater willingness to work together," Al Zayani remarked on the impact of the Abraham Accords, calling it a "warm peace."
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The minister said that the goal of achieving peace for the region is related to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution.
"That will encourage people to pursue the path of peace," Al Zayani added.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
