Bahrain Says It Will Not Join Iran's Proposed Hormuz Meeting

Bahrain's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by Al Jazeera on Saturday, September 12, 2026 (21 Shahrivar 1405), that it will not take part in a proposed meeting between Iran and regional countries set for Monday, September 14 (23 Shahrivar) in Muscat to discuss safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Pointing to recent attacks on regional infrastructure, Bahrain said regional security and stability cannot be preserved through a policy of appeasement, and called for the strait to be reopened without discrimination, fees or permits.

The ministry said it would not join any collective meeting including Iran until diplomatic relations between the two countries resume; Bahrain cut ties with Iran in 2016 alongside Saudi Arabia and, unlike Riyadh which restored relations in 2023, has not yet done so. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told Al Jazeera the meeting is a sign of Iran's good intentions toward its neighbors.