Iranian ships carrying aid to Bahrain turned back in Persian Gulf
\nBy Thomas Erdbrink, Monday, May 16, 1:58 PM<\/p>\n
TEHRAN \u2014 In an action that could increase the tensions between Iran and Arab monarchies, two Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf trying to carry Shiite activists to Bahrain were turned back Monday by warships belonging to the Gulf states coalition that is aiding the island kingdom in its crackdown on anti-government protesters, according to the activists\u2019 Web site.<\/p>\n
The Shiite activists, members of the Islamic Revolution Supporters Association, said the Iranian government did not prevent them from sailing. But halfway to Bahrain, they decided to turn back to Iranian waters, \u201cdue to the emergence of threats from the ships of the Peninsula Shield Force and the possibility of attacks,\u201d their Web site Hameyema stated on Monday.<\/p>\n
The force is a military collaboration by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which consists of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Bahrain\u2019s Sunni Muslim royal family called for its help in March, following mass demonstrations by mostly Shiite Muslim protesters. Saudi Arabian tanks and about 1,000 troops entered the country, assisted by police from the United Arab Emirates, as Bahraini forces led a crackdown.<\/p>\n
The council has stationed troops in Bahrain in what it says is an effort to counter threats from Iran, and Kuwaiti warships have been assisting in sea patrols around the island. Iran, which is almost completely Shiite, strongly condemned the council intervention and denied the accusations that it had been in any way involved in the protests. …more<\/a><\/p>\n