The prospect of normalized relations between Bahrain and Iran will lower some security risks for Manama amid the threat of a broader regional war, but it will not fully remove the threat of Iranian proxy attacks or Iranian support for Bahrain's Shiite opposition. On June 23, Bahrain and Iran's foreign ministries released a joint statement announcing the two countries would begin discussing steps to normalize relations. The announcement followed a meeting between Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani and Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. The statement came weeks after Bahrain reportedly sent a message to Tehran through Russia requesting to normalize relations. In addition, during recent trips to both Russia and China, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed interest in improving relations with Iran. ...
