Rufiz Hafizoglu, the head of the Arab News Service of Trend
It is no news that Gulf countries are always wary of the growing credibility and expand Iran's influence in the region. Gulf Arab countries have taken serious steps to limit the Iranian influence.
"Arab spring" has brought serious political unrest in many Arab countries. It is possible that there are interests of the region countries in virtually all the revolutions that took place exclusively on the "will of the people".
The interests of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have always been obvious, and named country, except Saudi Arabia, made more serious statements.
Political processes occurring in Arab countries indicate the emergence of democracy for Ankara and the beginning of the process of Islamization, which is inspired by the Islamic revolution in Iran for Teheran. But most interesting was the fact that "Arab Spring", based, as said on economic factors, partly affected Bahrain, 75 percent of population of which is Shiites, but which isn't weak from an economic point of view. Saudi Arabia is considering the events in Bahrein not as "Arab spring," but as "the Iranian revolution."
Saudi Arabia, of course, didn't take a waiting position and fully supported "fraternal" country in March 2011 to prevent "Iranian Revolution" in Bahrain. And this affected, albeit indirectly, on the relationship of Iran and Saudi Arabia, which are considered as two sides of one coin in the region. Despite the fact that this step of Saudi Arabia was considered in Bahrain as the restoration of stability in the country, it did not stop the popular movement, and, according to Gulf countries, the Persian state intervention in the internal affairs of Arab countries.
On Tuesday, May 15, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have agreed to merge the two countries within the Union of the Gulf. Bahraini officials have said that these states will remain members of the UN, will defend its independence, but along with it, will make joint decisions in terms of foreign policy, security, defense and economy.
This decision, which at first glance does not seem very serious from political and economic point of view, is aimed at the joint struggle against Iran, which cleverly uses the Shiite factor in Bahrain. This fact could not escape from the attention of Iran, and Tehran, criticize the policy pursued by Riyadh and threatened the country by "Arab spring".
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that Bahrain will not turn into an "easy prey" for Saudi Arabia.
The appeal, adopted by the Iranian Parliament, stressed that Saudi Arabia's predatory policy will violate the welfare of Bahraini people. MP from Zahedan Ali Shahriyari made the most interesting statement. He stressed that Bahrain is the 14th province of Iran and it would be more correct to unite it with Iran, rather than Saudi Arabia.
The result of the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain is likely to be seen in the nearest future. However, this does not mean that Tehran will remain silent in the face of the Arab countries, fearing "Shiite crescent."
No matter how it is denied, there is an Islamic and interfaith factor on the basis of the processes occurring in the Middle East and Arab countries.
The ongoing events in the Arab world, the continued clashes in Syria and Iran's participation in these events, proceeding only from its own interests, give reason to say that the clashes, sooner or later will lead to interfaith clashes by changing their direction.
Even Russia and Turkey say about the danger and that the situation in the region will result in interfaith clashes.
There is also an assumption that many Sunni Arab countries will take more serious steps against Iran to protect their interests and presence in the region soon and declare "jihad" by using the Islamic factor.