UK to repopen Bahrain navy base as operational hub

“This new base is a permanent expansion of the Royal Navy's footprint and will enable Britain to send more and larger ships to reinforce stability in the [Persian] Gulf,” said British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon as quoted in a Saturday report by RT.

“We will now be based again in the [Persian] Gulf for the long term," Fallon added.

According to the report, Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa also stated that the deal “reaffirms our joint determination to maintain regional security and stability in the face of challenging circumstances."

The move, however, was slammed by leading Bahraini opposition activist and protest leader Nabeel Rajeeb, who emphasized that Britain has been one of the only countries openly supporting the repressive government in Bahrain.

“I think you will see a lot of people opposing this base in Bahrain, especially as it's coming from a government that is not a friendly government to our struggle for democracy and human rights and totally supports the repressive regime here in Bahrain,” said Rajeeb in an interview with RT.

Bahrain already hosts the region’s largest naval base, dominated by the American military.

Naval Support Activity Bahrain (or NSA Bahrain) in Manama is a former installation of the Royal Navy, transferred to the US government in 1971, when Britain withdrew from the Persian Gulf. The NSA Bahrain is homeport to the US Fifth Fleet and headquarters to the US Naval Forces Central Command in the region.

The US has major bases in every country in the Persian Gulf except Iran.

HK