Morocco cuts ties with Iran

Rabat, 08 March-(ANA)-Morocco has severed diplomatic links with Iran, amid a row over comments made by an Iranian politician last week.

Iran's former interior minister Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri said Bahrain used to be Iran's 14th province, and that it still had a seat in Iran's parliament.

Rabat led a chorus of disapproval from Arab states, who interpreted the remark as a claim of sovereignty over Bahrain.

Tehran issued an apology, claiming Mr Ali's comments had been misunderstood and saying it made no claim to Bahrain.

Mr Ali said he was merely making a comparison between the current system of government in Iran and previous systems.

Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni elite, but most of its population is Shia and many have close ties to predominantly Shia Iran. (ANA)

FA/ANA/08 March 2009---