Tehran slams S-Arabia, Behrain union plan

Iranian MPs on Monday condemned a planned union between Saudi Arabia and fellow Sunni-ruled Bahrain, news agencies reported.Bahraini and Saudi rulers must understand that this unwise decision will only strengthen the Bahraini peoples resolve against the forces of occupation, they said in a letter, referring to Saudi military support for Manama.The letter, read out in the 290-member parliament and signed by 190 MPs, warned that the crisis in Bahrain will be transferred to Saudi Arabia and will push the region towards insecurity.Gulf Cooperation Council leaders at a summit on Monday were expected to discuss a Saudi proposal to develop their six-nation council into a union, reportedly starting with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.The exact nature of the union, first floated by Saudi King Abdullah in December, remains unclear. But Bahrains state minister for information, Samira Rajab, has said it could follow the European Union model.The proposal comes after Bahrain was shaken last year by demonstrations led by its majority Shiite population calling for political reforms.Shiite-dominated Iran supports the demonstrators demands and strongly condemned a deployment of Saudi-led forces in Bahrain in March 2011 when a month of street protests was crushed.Sheikh Ali Salman, the leader of Bahrains main Shiite opposition formation Al-Wefaq, has said any union project must first be put to a referendum.The people of Bahrain alone have the right to decide, he said, adding the kingdoms ruling Al-Khalifa (dynasty) has no right to decide a union or confederation with any country.The GCC was formed in 1981 when the Sunni-dominated monarchies of the Gulf aimed to bolster security after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran which was followed by an eight-year war between Baghdad and Tehran.Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Monday that Iran should keep out of the kingdoms relations with Shiite-majority Bahrain, even if the two states decide to form a union.Iran has nothing to do with what happens between the two countries, even if it develops into a unity, he told reporters at the end of a Gulf Cooperation Council consultative summit in Riyadh to discuss turning the bloc into a union.GCC leaders agreed to allow time for further discussions over the proposed Gulf union, Saud said.Iranian MPs earlier on Monday condemned the planned union between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.The Iranian threat is not accepted, Prince Saud said, after a letter signed by 190 MPs warned Bahraini and Saudi rulers they must understand that this unwise decision will only strengthen the Bahraini peoples resolve against the forces of occupation.Saudi-led Gulf forces rolled into Bahrain in March 2011 to boost the kingdoms security forces which a day later crushed month-old, Shiite-dominated protests.