Arab countries accuse Iran of supporting unrest in Bahrain
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has accused Iran of supporting anti-government protests in Bahrain.
Iran's criticism of the brutal suppression of the peaceful protests in Bahrain and the military invasion of the tiny Persian Gulf monarchy has drawn Saudi Arabia and UAE ire.
The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers met in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, amid growing tension between Iran and the Arab states over Tehran's refusal to support Western-backed autocratic regimes' crackdown on peaceful protesters.
At Sunday's extraordinary meeting, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of interfering in Bahrain affairs after Tehran warned Riyadh that it was "playing with fire" by deploying troops in neighboring Bahrain.
To help the Bahraini government crush the anti-government protests, Saudi Arabia has deployed more than 1,000 troops to the country.
GCC Foreign Ministers accused Tehran of plotting against GCC countries National security and fanning sedition and religious disputes among their citizens.
Clashes between the Shiite majority and the Sunnis started on February 14. Participants in the GCC believe that the predominantly Shiite Iran is interested in supporting antisunnitskih performances.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are members of the [Persian] Gulf council.
