John Kerry Urges Iran to Help End Wars in Yemen and Syria

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday, April 8, urged Iran to assist in ending the wars in Yemen and Syria, two countries where Iran and rival Arab states support opposing factions. According to AFP, during his visit to Bahrain, which is his first trip to the country since 2010, Kerry told Bahraini officials that respect for human rights is 'vital.' The Bahraini government has been accused of discrimination against Shiites, who make up the majority of the country's population. Late Thursday, the Secretary of State will meet with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This meeting is a precursor to President Barack Obama’s participation in the summit of this body, which will be held next week in Riyadh, where U.S. policy in the Middle East is likely to be discussed. Kerry addressed Iran, saying, 'Help us end the war in Yemen, help us not to escalate and end the war in Syria, and help us change the course of events in this region.' He added, 'Iran must prove to the world that it wants to be a constructive member of the international community and contribute to peace and stability.' Following last year's nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers, many international sanctions against Tehran were lifted. Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain's foreign minister, who accuses Iran of supporting ongoing Shiite protests against the Sunni rulers of the country, confirmed Kerry's remarks, stating, 'We want Iran to change its foreign policy.' All GCC member states, except Oman, are participating in a Saudi-led military coalition fighting against Iranian-backed Houthi Shiites in Yemen. The coalition's airstrikes, which began in March last year, have escalated the war in Yemen, resulting in 6,300 deaths according to UN statistics, many of whom are civilians. Human Rights Watch reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia uses U.S.-made bombs in attacks on civilian sites, and last month, an attack on a market killed at least 97 people, including children. When asked about this report, Kerry said, 'I do not have precise information about Yemen and do not know what weapons have been used.' He added, 'The U.S. government is working to establish a comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen.' Recently, the warring parties in Yemen agreed to a ceasefire mediated by the UN and are set to begin peace talks in Kuwait on April 18. Meanwhile, Gulf Arab states have actively supported opposition groups against Bashar al-Assad's regime since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, while Iran and Russia are the main supporters of the Syrian government. Over 270,000 people have been killed in the five-year Syrian civil war, and about five million have been forced to flee the country. Kerry stated that he will discuss very sensitive regional issues with the foreign ministers of the GCC member states, primarily the wars in Yemen and Syria, and the situations in Iraq, Lebanon, and other countries in the region. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain are part of the international coalition against the group known as the 'Islamic Caliphate' and are conducting airstrikes against this group's positions in Syria and Iraq. An American official said on Thursday, 'Overall, we are satisfied with the level of support from the Gulf Arab states for this coalition.' Regarding Bahrain, Kerry urged its officials to move towards 'creating an inclusive political system.' He added, 'In Bahrain, as in all countries of the world, we believe that respect for human rights and the establishment of an inclusive political system is vital.' He said he discussed ongoing efforts to reduce sectarian tensions in Bahrain and other parts of the region with Sheikh Khalid. Kerry noted, 'I was informed of his serious attention to the issues, and we all welcome effective steps to create conditions where all citizens of this country can participate in political decision-making.' Shiite Bahrainis demanded a change in the country's political system to a parliamentary monarchy with a prime minister elected by the people during widespread protests in 2011. However, the government, controlled by a Sunni royal family, suppressed these protests. Many protesting Shiites, including leaders of these protests, were arrested and sentenced to long prison terms. Amnesty International earlier this month called on the Bahraini government to immediately and unconditionally release political activists from prison.