Bahrain police disperse protest after the dialogue start (AFP)

DUBAI (AFP)-the Bahrain police dispersed a demonstration in the capital Manama shortly after the launch of a "national dialogue" intended to turn a deadly crackdown on Shiite-led protests, since State-run media said.

The demonstrators gathered in Sanabis neighborhood in the North of Manama after the funeral of one of those killed during February-March protests, the official BNA news agency quoted a police spokesman as saying late Saturday.

It did not elaborate on why the funeral had been so delayed.

The police spokesman said that officers scattered "unauthorized" demonstrations not far from Pearl Square, the focus of anti-Government protests earlier this year, after giving the standard warnings.

The main Shiite opposition bloc, the Islamic National Accord Association (Al-Wefaq), decided only on the 11th hour to accept the Sunni authorities invitation to join the dialogue after it withdrew its MPs from the Parliament in March in protest against the sentence.

His decision to attend was welcomed by Washington, which bases its fifth fleet in Bahrain.

"Al-Wefags participation will add an important voice of Bahrain political opposition to a process that has the potential to serve as a vehicle for reform and reconciliation ... and produce reforms which will answer the legitimate desire of the people of Bahrain," said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

The small but strategic Gulf archipelago, joined by a Causeway to Saudi Arabia, have experienced repeated bouts of unrest among its Shiite majority population and a Sunni ruling family.

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Afghan police: Taliban release hostages in Iran (AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan-Iran-Afghanistan road construction workers kidnapped earlier this week in Western Afghanistan, the Group has been released, police said Wednesday.

At least 12 Iranians, two Afghans and the crew were driving towards the work of the site to the remote part of the province of Farah on Monday when the men were the PSG1 and action taken. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and threatened to kill the men off, one at a time, unless the company stopped work on the road.

The Government militia executed projects such as roads, on a regular basis, the Central Government refused and said to those who are working on these projects are collaborators, not civilians as icons.

But the officials of all the captives could not obtain a local Office of the President of the publishing of the elders, who have acted as intermediaries with the Militia, the police chief said the province through the General Sayed Mohammad.

The three men were released late Tuesday, and Wednesday, the rest of the Mohammad said. He said that 13 of the Iranians had taken place, although the Iranian Government announced that only 12 of its citizens, the action taken. In the event of a conflict the numbers, the reason was not clear.

Terms for the release of the captives were not submitted, and no redemption was paid, Mohammad said.

The Iranian company, called Jahidi Nasri Tehran, caused by the eligibility period of producing 75 miles (121 kilometers) and is ready for the road of Farah, the provincial Ministry of public works officials about half.

 

Iran police disperse anti-Saudi demo Asia Cup match (AFP)

TEHRAN (AFP)-Iranian police dispersed hundreds of youths Tuesday on an Asian Champions League match between Iranian and Saudi sides protest Saudi military support to Bahrain in crushing a pro-democracy movement.

Match between Iran's Persepolis and the Saudi team Al-Ittihad some 300-400 young people dressed in black and carrying the flag of Bahrain began protesting. They were first rounded up and isolated in a section of stands before being ejected from the stadium shortly after the second half began.

Demonstrators, some of whom were arrested, shouted "death to the Al-Sauds" and "death to the Al-Khalifas" with regard to the ruling dynasties in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring small Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia had already unsuccessfully sought to have the match won 3-2 Persepolis, to play in another country for security reasons.

Iran is a predominantly Shiite Muslim country which repeatedly expressed its solidarity with the demonstrators in Bahrain, a Shiite majority country, as the required reforms from Sunni Muslim dynasty reference for a preliminary ruling them.

In the middle of March a Saudi-led Gulf military force Bahrain on his Government's request. Liberated Bahrain security forces to crush the protest movement.

Manama, for its part, accused Tehran of supporting the demonstrations.