King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa announced the opening of a permanent Bahraini diplomatic mission in Beirut, marking a full restoration of ties with Lebanon after nearly four years of limited relations. The declaration came during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who was on an official state visit to Bahrain (Anadolu Ajansı).
The move follows Bahrain’s earlier announcement in May 2023 that it would resume embassy-level diplomatic representation with Lebanon, ending a diplomatic freeze that began in October 2021 after controversial remarks by Lebanon’s then-Information Minister criticizing Saudi involvement in Yemen (Anadolu Ajansı). The Kingdom officially closed its embassy in Beirut during that period, joining other Gulf states in withdrawing envoys (Anadolu Ajansı).
At the credentials ceremony on July 1, 2025, President Aoun received Ambassador Waheed Mubarak Sayyar, who until now had been based in Damascus. Ambassador Sayyar conveyed Bahrain’s commitment to institutional cooperation and support for Lebanon’s recovery process (beta.bna.bh).
According to both leaders, the restoration of full diplomatic ties heralds enhanced cooperation in economic development, security coordination, and regional stability. The agreement emphasized bilateral collaboration efforts to combat terrorism, support trade growth, and advance peaceful resolutions to ongoing regional challenges (Anadolu Ajansı).
