Bahrain recalls its ambassador from Iran, expels Tehran envoy

Bahrain recalled its ambassador from Iran on Thursday and ordered Tehran's envoy to leave within 72 hours, claiming interference in the country’s affairs, Bahrain’s state news agency reported.

In a statement displayed on Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry website, the decision to pull its ambassador came about "in light of continued Iranian meddling in the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain ... in order to create sectarian strife and to impose hegemony and control".

The Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, with a majority Shia population ruled by a Sunni dynasty, has suffered from unrest since a pro-democracy uprising in 2011.

Bahrain regularly accuses Iran of meddling in its affairs.

Bahraini authorities said on Wednesday they had uncovered a large stash of weapons and arrested a number of people suspected of having links with Iran and Iraq.

An interior ministry statement said arms and explosives were discovered in a house in the mainly Shia town of Nuwaidrat, south of the capital Manama.

The cache included a tonne and a half of C4 explosives and other explosive material, as well as automatic rifles, pistols and hand grenades, the ministry said.

In August, Bahrain arrested five people suspected of links with Iran in connection with a bombing that killed two policemen in the island state.

Iran, for its part, has denied any involvement with Bahrain’s unrest.