“Iran’s presence at the Manama Dialogue Summit will bring about positive results in favor of stability in Bahrain and the Persian Gulf,” Majeed Milad, a member of Bahrain al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, told Al-Alam on Wednesday.

The opposition figure welcomed the decision made by Bahraini authorities to invite Iran to the summit.

According to him, Bahrain believes that Iran plays a key role in maintaining stability and security in the region, therefore, Tehran’s presence in regional security cooperation is necessary.

The Manama summit has been held each year in December, Milad said, noting that the summit was named Security in the [Persian] Gulf but it has been changed to Manama Dialogue.

Bahraini Foreign Ministry is holding the summit in collaboration with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), he added.

IISS said that Manama Dialogue was a crucial pillar of the regional security architecture and provided a platform for ministers, chiefs of defense staff and national security leaders to consult bilaterally and multilaterally on key security and foreign policy challenges facing the region.

Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmad Al Khalifa invited his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Javad Zarif to partake in the ninth summit of Manama Dialogue.

NTJ/BA