Bahrain foreign ministry issues travel warning for Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Persian Gulf state of Bahrain calls on its citizens not to travel to Iran, “under any circumstances,” because of street protests there.

In a statement on Twitter, the Foreign Ministry also urges any Bahrainis in the Islamic Republic to leave immediately.

It cautions that Iran was seeing “large-scale disturbances and an unstable security situation,” as well as “grave acts of violence.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of #Bahrain urges all citizens to totally refrain, from travelling to the Islamic Republic of #Iran, due to the widespread unrest, unstable security conditions and severe violence in the cities of Iran. https://t.co/KKV2TCi0FP pic.twitter.com/JX7n61Ji1p

— وزارة الخارجية ???????? (@bahdiplomatic) January 1, 2018

Shiite Muslims, the majority in the small kingdom of Bahrain, generally travel to Iran for religious reasons.

Relations between the Sunni-ruled monarchy and Shiite Iran are strained over allegations by Manama that Tehran interferes in its internal affairs.

Bahrain is the first Arab state in the Gulf to issue a travel warning for Iran where 10 people were killed overnight, in the worst street violence so far since protests broke out on Thursday.

— AFP