MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The US' decision to lift the ban on sending military aid to Bahrain is partly linked to the Iran nuclear talks, a government relations officer at Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"During the GCC summit in Washington, President Obama did promise expedited arms to the GCC countries as a means to bolster them against any Iranian aggression so I think the upcoming Iran deal also plays a part in it [the ban lift]," Kate Kizer said.
According to Kizer, the decision was motivated more by politics rather than by any progress made on human rights, as no reforms have been made that could really have improved the chances of reconciliation and dialogue.
Bahrain is a member of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State militant group. The coalition has been launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against the group’s positions since 2014.
Tuesday marks the deadline for Iran and a group of international negotiators, including envoys from the United States, to reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program. The deal hopes to ensure the peaceful development of Tehran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran due to fears it could be developing a nuclear weapon.
The US government’s renewal of its military aid to Manama is a major blow to human rights in Bahrain as the ruling regime continues its crackdown against the Bahraini people, US watchdog Freedom House said in a press release on Tuesday.
"The Obama Administration’s decision to lift the hold on military assistance to Bahrain cannot be attributed to improvements in political rights or civil liberties in Bahrain because no such improvements exist," Freedom House President Mark Lagon said. “Thousands of Bahrainis remain imprisoned for voicing opposition to the government, and reports of torture are widespread.”
