Bahrain Mirror: Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim stressed that "the ruling regime in Bahrain is against reform," and that "the official political path has gone from bad to worse," calling on the people to "continue the struggle to extract national benefits," noting that "the pressing economic conditions will not break the will of the movement." He warned that the regime is working toward "rooting out the immaterial and material existence of Shiites in Bahrain." He warned that the regime's normalization with the Zionist occupying entity "has become a necessity for its survival after abandoning the people and nation."

Sheikh Qassim confirmed, in an interview with the Iranian Arabic-speaking Al-Wefaq newspaper, that the ruling regime in Bahrain is against reform and that its mentality is not amenable to accepting the idea," adding that "the official political path in Bahrain, unfortunately, is turning from bad to worse.

"In response to a question about the possibility of the regime carrying out reforms and its commitment to them, he said: "There is no hope on the horizon for this except that it will find a reality that inevitably leads to it," noting that "what is required according to the democracy claimed by the government is to seek a constitution and a system of government  derived from the will of the Muslim people."

He stressed that "the solution lies in continuing the national struggle in order to achieve national entitlements, because the nature of things requires that."

Sheikh Qassim assured that "the pressing economic situation that Bahraini citizens are experiencing will not break their will in the movement, however, they will continue to wait for all opportunities for development, increased effectiveness and positive impact."

He also noted that "The opposition started to feel a serious sense of necessity to intensify and improve its efforts."Regarding the impact of the regime's measures against citizens, such as revoking citizenship, Sheikh Qassim considered that "these steps are in the interest of demographic change, drying up the sources stirring the will for change among the people, and sowing a spirit of despair that results in surrender and submission, and the people are aware of this and stubborn in this matter."

While warning that the regime is working to "eradicate Shiites on a immaterial and material level in Bahrain," he stressed that "the concern of the Shiites includes the interest of the whole country, and they do not operate in a narrow framework of isolationist sectarian thinking."

Regarding the opposition's eligibility to represent the people and run the country, Sheikh Qassim said, "The opposition's management of the popular movement has its positives that the people share, and it believes in the need for development from everyone."

On the topic of an opposition project in Bahrain, Sheikh Qassim stressed that "the opposition does not face a problem in announcing the political project that it sees as a way for saving the situation in the country."

In response to a question about the validity of the existence of "differences" between groups on the opposition spectrum, he pointed out that "the opposition is on the way to getting rid of the problem of crippling differences that help the government continue to marginalize, oppress and enslave the people."He hoped that "the public interest will take precedence over the imagined personal or partisan interests that can only be achieved at the expense of the interest of the whole and the safety of society."

Regarding the violations against the imprisoned figures, Sheikh Qassim warned that "targeting symbols in particular is thought to be more terrifying."

He praised the determination and will of the detained Al-Wefaq Society Secretary-General, Sheikh Ali Salman, noting that it is a "very natural trait in men made by the Quranic culture and the school of the Great Prophet and his family, peace be upon them," highlighting that the steadfastness of people such as Sheikh Salman was inspired from this school.

Sheikh Isa Qassim recalled part of a speech from imprisoned figure Hasan Mushaima, "The prison is favorable to me more than what they call me to," noting that he "fuels the souls of tortured prisoners with pride and confidence, breaks the arrogance of the arrogant and torturers, and introduces despair in their souls."

He warned the people to "never disrupt the voice of their demands to restore the freedom of the oppressed prisoners because of religious, sectarian, national or class differences."On the other hand, Sheikh Qassim said that "if the regime continued its march nestled in the arms of the Israeli entity, Bahrain will be stripped of its Islamic and Arab identity, and it will become one of the countries openly hostile to Islam and fighting its nation." 

He pointed out that "the government lacks the state of harmony with its people, and has no confidence in them [people]: "It is a government looking for the stability of its chair from outside its natural surroundings, and is doing everything for the sake of keeping it."

Asked whether Bahrain has become a base for Israelis in the Gulf region, Sheikh Qassim said, "Although this is true to some extent, it will not find stability on this ground."

He drew attention to the fact that "normalization in the eyes of the erroneous ruler has become a necessity of survival after abandoning the people and nation."

Arabic Version