Bahrain suspends flights to three countries

Author: 
Reuters
Publication Date: 
Wed, 2011-03-23 09:45

Bahrain's state-run Gulf Air also said in a statement on its website that all flights to Iran and Iraq had been suspended until March 31, without giving a reason.
The decision highlights growing tensions in the world's largest oil-exporting region between Arab countries and Iran, just across Gulf waters. Iran, which supports political parties in Lebanon and Iraq, has criticized the intervention in Bahrain by neighboring Gulf Arab states.
Street protests against the intervention have also been held in Iraq and Lebanon.
"This decision was taken after the irresponsible comments and stances from Lebanon against Bahrain, its people and leaders," state-owned Bahrain news agency cited a statement from the Civil Aviation Affairs department as saying.
Flights by Gulf Air and Bahrain Air to and from Lebanon have been suspended indefinitely, it added.
Twenty senior Lebanese businessmen based in Bahrain met Wednesday to discuss their response after Lebanese residents in Bahrain complained of being turned away at the airport on their return from holidays or business trips.
Lebanese expatriates said they would lodge an official request for help with their embassy on Saturday. They are also preparing a statement that will condemn outside interference in Bahrain and distance the community from comments by Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
On Tuesday, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry warned Bahrainis not to travel to Lebanon for their own safety and said the ban was due to threats and interference.
Nasrallah criticized Arab states for backing Bahrain's rulers, who requested troops from neighboring GCC countries to help them quell protests.
Meanwhile, a government spokeswoman said Wednesday security forces now control the main hospital in Manama because it has been used as a "coordination center" by protesters. Maysoon Sakbar said doctors at the state-run hospital used it to spread "malicious propaganda."
At least four doctors from Salmaniya Medical Complex have been detained since emergency rule was declared last week.

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