Iran rejects interference accusation by Gulf Arabs

DUBAI - Iran rejected accusations from Gulf Arab states that it was meddling in their affairs, saying those countries were "running away from reality," an Iranian news agency reported on Wednesday.

Six US-allied states demanded Iran end what they called interference in the region, in a statement on Tuesday at the end of a two-day summit of the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), reiterating a long-held mistrust of their main rival.

The communique did not elaborate, but the most common Gulf Arab complaint relates to Bahrain, which has repeatedly accused Tehran of interference in its internal politics by provoking protests.