Iran warns UN of escalation of Bahrain crisis

Iran warned the UN secretary general that the crisis in Bahrain would escalate and expand to the whole Gulf region if the world body did not interfere, the ISNA news agency reported Friday, reported dpa.

"Iran could not stay indifferent towards the ongoing crisis in Bahrain as it could destabilize the Persian Gulf region and even affect world politics," Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi wrote in a letter to Ban Ki-moon, ISNA said.

Salehi complained that while the UN Security Council interfered in other Arab states, such as Egypt and Libya, the council remained ignorant and indifferent toward the deaths of protesters and the suppression of the rights of Bahrain's people.

Since mid-February, at least 20 protesters and four police officers have been killed in growing protests by the majority Shiite population, who are demanding reforms from the Sunni monarchy and government.

A crackdown on the protests angered Shiite-led Iran and resulted in Bahrain's government sending in its own forces as well as bringing in soldiers from neighbouring Sunni-led countries, including Saudi Arabia.

In Tehran, hundreds of Iranians gathered again Friday in front of Bahrain;s embassy to shout slogans against Bahraini and Saudi rulers.

"There will be no compromise, no concession, only fighting the Saudis," the protesters shouted.

Iranian leaders have openly sided with the opposition in Bahrain and condemned Saudi Arabia for interference, hurting Iran's ties with the Arab world.

While Iran has praised unrest in Arab states, it has swept under the rug any comparisons that might be made between those protests and demonstrations in Tehran in 2009 after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election.