Lebanon risks becoming Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine: Bahrain FM

Beirut : Lebanon’s integrity is being threatened by its links to the controversial Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifah said in an interview with the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television channel.

"Lebanon was a civilized nation in the region and today this characteristic is threatened by attempts to link it to Wilayat al-Faqih," the FM said in the interview.

Under the Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine, which was introduced in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the supreme ayatollah, or highest religious authority, has final say in political, as well as religious matters.

Hezbollah has remained evasive about its adherence to Wilayat al-Faqih and its level of support for the establishment of an Islamic state in Lebanon inspired by that doctrine.

The FM highlighted his country's "brotherly ties" with Lebanon, emphasizing that the Lebanese community in Bahrain is a longstanding one.

However, he added that the Lebanese expats who have been deported are "no doubt linked to Hezbollah."

Thousands of Lebanese have reportedly been expelled from Gulf states that upped their security measures against individuals believed to be linked to Hezbollah.

The GCC, which includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, has accused Hezbollah of inciting chaos and discord in member states.

Soaring tensions between Riyadh and Hezbollah have triggered the intensified campaign by the GCC against the party, as both sides support opposite groups in Syria and Yemen.