Iranian parliament slams Bahrain for stripping cleric of citizenship

Iranian parliament condemned Bahrain on Tuesday for stripping the citizenship of a top Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, calling it "inhumane," Press TV reported.

Ali Larijani, the Iranian parliament speaker described the move as "immature" and "adventurist," saying that it reflects the political crisis in the country.

He added that recent intensification of a crackdown on Shiite Muslims in Bahrain signals the looming demise of the ruling Al Khalifah regime.

The decision is only the latest in a string of "inhumane" measures that include repressing political dissent, manipulating Shia religious funds, and killing Bahraini civilians, Larijani said.

Also on Tuesday, 251 Iranian lawmakers issued a statement condemning the kingdom's move and criticizing what they called the intentional community's silence.

"Have the rulers of this Islamic state (Bahrain) thought about the dangerous and unpredictable consequences of this unwise move?" the report cited the statement as saying.

"What does this deadly silence in the face of the flagrant violation of international law by the ruling reactionary regime in Bahrain mean?" it added.

Bahrain announced on Monday it had revoked the citizenship of Qassim, the leader of the opposition group Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, saying the move was part of the measures to fight extremism.

The statement accused Qassim of forming "groups that follow foreign religious ideologies and political entities" and of playing "a key role in fostering extremism and sectarianism in Bahrain."

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday also condemned this move. Endit