TEHRAN, May 22 (MNA) – The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman voiced concern over the escalation of security approaches following Bahrain's court ruling sentencing the prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Issa Qassim to a 1-year suspended prison.

Bahram Ghasemi underlined the Bahraini government seeks to challenge definitive rules of religion pursuing a tribal and sectarian approach to level unfounded accusations against Sheikh Qassim and two of his aides instead of their trial.

He urged once more Bahraini officials to resort to dialogue and interaction with the people instead of confrontation and confining the Bahraini nation's freedom; he warned such measures would further complicate the situation in the Arab country.

Bahrain has been the scene of anti-regime protests on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in February 2011.

A Bahrain court sentenced Sheikh Qassim, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s dissolved opposition bloc the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society to a 1-year suspended prison sentence Sunday and seized assets belonging to him and his ministry, part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the tiny island kingdom.

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