TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the crackdown on Bahraini protestors is the result of Donald Trump’s cozy relationship with the despots in Riyadh.

“First concrete result of POTUS cozying up to despots in Riyadh: Deadly attack on peaceful protesters by emboldened Bahraini regime. Google it,” Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.

Bahraini police raided Diraz, the hometown of opposition cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, on Tuesday killing at least five demonstrators and injuring others wounded. Police also arrested 286 people in the crackdown.

Also on Tuesday Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly condemned the attack on protesters and the raid on the residence of the prominent pro-democracy cleric.

He described the attack as a “miscalculation” by the Bahraini regime.

“Intensifying suppression and adopting religious and sectarian approaches against the Bahraini people will not help settle crisis in the country and will divert peaceful process of the protests,” the Foreign Ministry official warned.

He said the cleric enjoys a “remarkable status” among the Muslims and the Bahraini regime should be careful about the consequences of such behaviors.

He also advised the Manama government to adopt a “political strategy” toward the issue and try to resolve the crisis through “national dialogue”.

NA/PA