Morocco on Friday severed diplomatic ties with Iran, the Moroccan foreign ministry said in a statement, following controversial remarks by a senior Iranian official on Bahrains sovereignty. On February 25, Morocco recalled its charge daffaires in Tehran for consultations over what it termed "inopportune expressions" by an Iranian official.
The remarks attributed to Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri, a prominent member of Irans powerful Expediency Council, touched a raw nerve in Bahrain and among Arab nations. Bahrain itself protested to Tehran after Nateq Nuri said on February 20 that the Gulf kingdom used to be Irans 14th province and that it had a representative in the Iranian parliament.