Bahrain Mirror: Two US congressmen criticized the US resuming arms sales to Bahrain, while at the same time an American company announced manufacturing a batch of smart missiles for Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): US Congressmen Jim McGovern, Joe Pitts, and Hank Johnson introduced last Tuesday (September 8, 2015) a bill in the House of Representatives, which prohibits the sales or transfer of specific arms to the Government of Bahrain until it fully implements all BICI recommendations.

Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said it was still premature to assess the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, yet he pointed out that the deal “didn’t cover all the sources of tensions with Iran.”

Bahrain Mirror: The Turkish Bahraini Business Council chairman Osman Yildrim Coskun said one of the most important aspects of its military cooperation is Bahrain’s purchase of patrol boats, firearms for infantry soldiers and drones.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Members of the US Senate and Congress are working on introducing legislations in order to link military aid to Bahrain to a certification presented by the US State Department that Bahrain has fully implemented all of the recommendations by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) to strengthen human rights in the country.

Bahrain Mirror: The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian advised the Bahraini foreign minister to think of playing a positive and constructive role regarding the collective security in the region.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Spokeswoman of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marzieh Afkham, accused the Bahraini government on Sunday (July 26, 2015) of “stirring up tensions in the Gulf”.

Bahrain Mirror: Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Bahraini authorities to immediately release the political activist Ebrahim Sharif, who was arrested on July 11, 2015, in connection with a speech in which he peacefully criticized the government and called for political reform.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Ever since the eruption of the Islamic Revolution in Iran since over 30 years ago, the Bahraini government has used new pretenses and charges to face those seeking democracy in Bahrain by announcing the seizure of arms warehouses claiming to belong to the country’s opposition.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The American “New York Times” newspaper said that the Obama administration’s decision issued on Monday, June 29, 2015, with regards to lifting the ban on security assistance will not include Bahrain’s Interior Ministry.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Congressman, senior House Democrat and chairman of Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Jim McGovern, described the US State Department’s decision to lift arms embargo on Bahrain as a “dangerous step backward for human rights”.

The US State Department said in a statement that Washington decided to lift the holds on arms exports to the Bahrain Defense Force and National Guard.