TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has said that Tehran will make every effort to help end the crisis in Bahrain and certain other regional countries that have been experiencing pro-democracy protests.

Iran will do everything in its power in support of efforts intended to end the violent crackdown on protesters in regional countries, particularly Bahrain, Mehmanparast stated during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday.
Pursuing developments unfolding in regional countries is on Iran’s foreign policy agenda, he added.
However, international forums shoulder greater responsibility for resolving the situation in the region and must take serious and practical measures in this regard, Mehmanparast stated.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he criticized the United States and its European allies for the double-standard approaches they have adopted toward developments in the region.
He also urged the Organization of the Islamic Conference not to remain silent about the developments in the region and to take serious action in support of the legitimate demands of the people.
Invaders of Bahrain should work for regional unity
Asked about the fact that Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of interfering in its internal affairs and has threatened to take measures to cut ties with Iran, Mehmanparast said, “We have repeatedly informed them that our country’s principled policy is to increase cooperation with regional countries and promote unity in the Islamic world.”
“Any efforts meant to sow discord among Muslim nations and undermine unity in the Islamic world will only serve the interests of the Zionist regime and its supporters in the region,” he stated.
He also called on the countries that have dispatched troops to Bahrain to respect the national sovereignty of other regional states and to make efforts to help the people realize their demands and create unity among regional nations.
“Adopting wrong approaches to deal with popular demands will have severe consequences,” Mehmanparast noted.
12 Iranian engineers abducted in Afghanistan are alive
Replying to a question about the situation of 12 Iranian engineers who were abducted in Afghanistan on Monday in the western province of Farah, which is located about 700 kilometers from Kabul, Mehmanparast said that the hostages are alive.
He added that the Iranian Foreign Ministry is pursuing the issue in order to obtain their release as soon as possible.
After the press briefing, it was announced that one of the Iranian engineers had been released.
Iran has not appointed an ambassador to Egypt
Elsewhere in his remarks, Mehmanparast did not confirm the reports saying that Iran and Egypt have agreed to open embassies in each other’s countries in the near future and that Tehran has even appointed an ambassador to Cairo.
“I think the reports regarding the appointment of an ambassador or other measures are based on assumptions,” he said.
However, in light of the developments that have taken place in Egypt, Iranian and Egyptian officials have announced their readiness to reestablish ties, the Foreign Ministry spokesman added.
Khazaii did not hold bilateral talks with Egyptian officials
On the trip to Egypt that the Iranian envoy to the United Nations made last week, Mehmanparast said that Ambassador Mohammad Khazaii traveled to Egypt to participate in a meeting organized by the UN, and “no framework for bilateral talks was defined in the visit.”
EU sanctions measure is mindless obedience to U.S.
Mehmanparast also replied to a question about the European Union’s recent decision to impose an asset freeze and travel ban on 32 Iranian officials, based on allegations that they have been involved in human rights violations.
The EU’s measure is just mindless obedience to U.S. officials, proves the EU is following double-standard approaches, and lacks legal weight.