According to the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Bureau, Mehman-Parast expressed concern over the Bahraini forces’ aggression and direct targeting of the leaders and figures of different opposition groups in Bahrain, and condemned continued violence and suppression of the people’s peaceful protests.
He expressed the hope that the Bahraini government would alter its approach towards the country’s peaceful protests and pay serious attention to the people’s legitimate rights and demands, rather than repressing them.
Mehman-Parast underlined as a necessity "the withdrawal of the military troops of a neighboring country" from Bahrain, and called on the Manama regime to pave the way for serious talks through confidence-building measures, including releasing political prisoners and leaders, ending merciless military courts rulings against academicians, physicians, nurses, women and youths who only pursue their demands within the boundaries of their natural rights".
The spokesman further cautioned the Al-Khalifa regime to avoid complicating theconditions any further through violent measures and blatant violation of human rights.
The statements by the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman came as Bahrain’s security forces wounded leader of the opposition Al-Wefaq as they used heavy-handed tactics to disperse a demonstration in Manama on Friday.
Al-Wefaq said in a statement that Sheikh Ali Salman was "wounded with rubber bullets in his shoulder and back when security forces fired at a peaceful demonstration held in Bilad al-Qadeem," three kilometers (two miles) from Manama.
It said two other leading opposition figures – Al-Wefaq’s Jawad Fairouz and Hasan al-Marzouq – were also wounded.
"Security forces besieged the area, chased citizens and repressed them brutally, beating them up and firing live rounds at them," it added.
Witnesses told AFP that security forces used tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets and birdshot to disperse the rally, adding that several people were wounded in the crackdown.
Bahrainis continue anti-government demonstrations across the country despite the Manama regime’s crackdown.
Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty’s over-40-year rule.
Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar – were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 13, 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.
So far, more than 69 people have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.
