In this photo released by Bahrain News Agency, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Bahrain Minister of Interior talks with a member of the emergency services, during his visit to the scene of an explosion, in Bahrain, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Bahrain says an oil pipeline that exploded overnight was attacked by militants in the island nation. (Bahrain News Agency via AP)
Republished November 12, 2017 - 12:07 AM
Original Publication Date November 11, 2017 - 11:16 PM
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran has denied allegations it was behind a militant attack on a pipeline outside Bahrain's capital.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency Sunday as rejecting the "baseless and fake claims" and "childish finger-pointing" from Bahraini authorities.
Bahrain has been combatting a low-level insurgency since the Sunni monarchy quashed a 2011 Arab Spring uprising led by majority Shiites.
Bahrain's interior minister, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, said Saturday's blast was "the latest example of a terrorist act performed by terrorists in direct contact with and under instruction from Iran."
Gulf tensions have intensified in recent days after Sunni-led Saudi Arabia blamed Shiite Iran for a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Shiite rebels that was intercepted near Riyadh. Iran has denied any involvement.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017