Mahmood's Den

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The United States on Monday reiterated its support for the Sunni minority ruling clan in Bahrain while offering lip-service to protesting majority Shiites after a visit from a senior diplomat to the volatile country according to the U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

Addressing journalists at the daily press briefing, Toner said at the top of his comments that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeff Feltman, who is in charge of Near Eastern affairs, visited Bahrain on Sunday and Monday, reaffirming the “long-standing commitment” of the United States to a “strong partnership” with Bahrain.

“Reiterating U.S. support for Bahraini national reconciliation and dialogue, he concurred with the Bahraini leadership’s own embrace of the principles of reform and the respect for rule of law and coexistence,” Toner said about Feltman’s trip to Bahrain, which hosts the headquarters of U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Toner added that Assistant Secretary Feltman, “also took the opportunity to compare notes with Bahraini officials on regional developments such as the situation – including U.S. concerns, rather, about Iran’s exploitation of the situation in the region.”

Asked to clarify the allegations against Iran and its dealings in the region, Toner said, “With regard to Bahrain, the situation there, that Iran continues to play a less than constructive role in the region.”

On the softening of approach towards Bahrain’s ruling family led by ruling Sunni King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, a strong U. S. ally, and who is facing strong anti-government protests – mostly by majority Shiites with demands for establishing a constitutional monarchy, Toner said, “We’ve been very, very clear about where we stand on this, that the Bahraini Government needs to respect human rights and needs to address the legitimate aspirations of its own people, and that was conveyed.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, Washington had criticized Bahrain for the violence in the country as well as the arrest of popular Internet blogger Mahmood al-Yousif.

“We’re deeply concerned about his arrest. He’s a prominent and respected blogger,” said Toner at the end of March, adding, “We hope that the Bahraini government’s decision to arrest bloggers and Internet activists will not make it more difficult to resume a national dialogue.”

Since March, there are reports of Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy, aided by armed forces from neighboring Saudi Arabia, killing dozens while crushing weeks of protests, demanding human rights and democratic principles in the Gulf state.