As tensions with Iran continue to rise, Bahrain’s undersecretary of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa met with the IDF’s point man on Iran during his visit to Israel.
In a first, the Bahraini diplomat who also holds the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme Defence Council met with the Head of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate (J5), Maj. Gen. Tal Kelman during his four-day-long visit.
The meeting focused on “the desire to strengthen security ties between the countries,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement, adding that “following the discussion, a strategic panel was held which focused on both common challenges and opportunities in the region for Israel and Bahrain.”
The rare meeting was later published by the IDF.
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The new directorate was formed last year as part of the IDF’s Momentum plan and aims to bolster the IDF’s attack capabilities, including by technological means, as well as increase the military’s intelligence superiority and expand its intelligence gathering on the Islamic Republic including by satellites as well as bolster Israel’s cyber (both defensive and offensive) capabilities.
And while Iran is the directorate’s primary core focus, it also concentrates on other countries in the region that pose a threat to Israel.
The “third circle” refers to three tiers of direct threats to Israel, the first being terror groups along Israel’s borders like Islamic Jihad and Hamas; the second being larger threats like Hezbollah and neighboring enemy militaries, and the third being countries that do not share a border with Israel like Iran, Iraq, and Yemen.
The Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate also focuses on developing the IDF’s larger strategies and international relations.
Kalman, a former fighter pilot, previously led the IDF’s Strategic Division.
It is Khalifa’s third trip since the two countries normalized ties in September 2020, as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords and he also met with President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz, and other officials.
The Bahraini diplomat is also in charge of the Israel portfolio at the foreign ministry.
Like Israel, Bahrain faces threats from Iran. During a press conference in Jerusalem, Khalifa said that the kingdom has recognized Tehran’s repeated attempts to intervene in its internal affairs and continued bids to create instability through its support for extremists.
“In any crisis in the Middle East, we can point to the involvement of Iran and its proxies. We want to see Iran stable, secure, prosperous, and responsible – and we do not see that. The nuclear deal focused only on the nuclear issue, but ignored other issues that troubled the region: Tehran’s ballistic missiles and aggressive behavior.”
According to Khalifa, nothing positive came of the 2015 Iran deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“When you look at the crises in the Middle East, you can see Iran’s fingerprints everywhere. Unfortunately, the agreement did not address Iran’s aggressive behavior and its ballistic missile program,” he said.
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