(Arab News-Saudi Arabia) The confrontation showcases Bahrain's role as the centerpiece for Gulf concerns about Iran. Bahrain has a sizable Shiite population that is seen as a possible beachhead for Iran on the Arab side of the Gulf. Hard-liners in Iran have often described Bahrain as Iran's "14th Province." Shadi Hamid, a Gulf affairs researcher at the Brookings Doha Center in Qatar, said: "There is more and more concern about Iranian influence even if it can be proven or not."
2010-09-06 07:58:27Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive