BAHRAIN-IRAN POLICE AGREEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000018 SIPDIS BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2019 TAGS: PREL ASEC PGOV IR BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN-IRAN POLICE AGREEMENT REF: A. 08 MANAMA 835 ¶B. RIYADH 61 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Bahrain and Iran signed an agreement December 25 establishing procedures for communication between interior ministries on law enforcement issues, re-activating an agreement originally signed in 2003. ¶2. (C) Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa signed the agreement during a visit to Tehran, accompanying Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed. Sheikh Rashid had indicated prior to the visit that Iran had sought a visit for some time and that given the smuggling problems Bahrain faces, re-activating the 2003 law enforcement cooperation agreement would be an appropriate deliverable. The FM confirmed the substance of the agreement to the CDA on December 27 (ref A). ¶3. (C) Comment: The GOB remains wary of Iran. It believes that smuggling (primarily drugs and other contraband) originating from Iran is a threat, and re-activating the cooperation agreement will provide an avenue to press Tehran on the issue. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** HENZEL