Bahrain’s foreign ministry confirmed that the nation will not attend a regional meeting regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which is set to take place in Oman this Monday. The meeting is intended to facilitate dialogue between Iran and various Gulf states concerning security and navigation in the vital waterway.

In an official statement, Bahraini officials clarified that their absence is a matter of policy regarding their current diplomatic status with Tehran. The ministry stated that Bahrain will not participate in any collective meeting involving Iran until formal diplomatic ties between the two nations are restored. Bahrain severed these diplomatic relations in 2016, a move that occurred in coordination with Saudi Arabia during a period of heightened regional tension.

While Saudi Arabia has recently moved toward re-establishing diplomatic channels with Iran, Bahrain maintains that its own conditions for normalization have not yet been met. The decision highlights the ongoing complexities in regional diplomacy, as individual Gulf nations navigate their relationships with Iran at different speeds. The meeting in Oman serves as a test of regional cooperation, though Bahrain's refusal underscores the lingering diplomatic rift that continues to influence collective security discussions in the Gulf.