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Bahrain halts gas talks with Iran


MANAMA: Bahrain said on Wednesday it has halted negotiations with Iran over a major gas import deal in a deepening row over comments that touch on the sovereignty of the tiny Gulf kingdom.The protest action came as regional Arab heavyweights weighed into the dispute with an outpouring of support for the US-allied island nation over the alleged remarks by an Iranian official last week."The kingdom of Bahrain has stopped negotiations with Iran concerning importing natural gas," a senior official told a foreign news agency on condition of anonymity."The decision was taken after the regretful remarks that touch on Bahrain's sovereignty and do not support the relations between the two countries."An Iranian official allegedly said last week that Bahrain used to be Iran's 14th governorate and once had a representative in its parliament.

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