His Majesty King Hamad described Bahrain's opposition movement as disunited and said the threat of Iran had compelled him to call in foreign troops to bring the situation under control.

'In a sense there is no 'opposition' in Bahrain, as the phrase implies one unified block with the same views,' the King said in an interview with Der Spiegel.

'Such a phrase is not in our constitution, unlike say the UK. We only have people with different views and that's okay,' he said in the article published today.

The King said the protesters' refrain 'Down with Hamad', sounded by trumpets and car horns and chanted at rallies, was simply a case of bad manners and no reason to imprison people.

But he said chants in favour of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were a concern, echoing the government's charge that Iran helped foment the protest which, it says, had Shi'ite sectarian motives.

'It's just a case of manners. But when they shout 'Down with the King and up with Khamenei' that's a problem for national unity,' he said.

'There is no doubt that some in Iran have an unhealthy focus on Bahrain, as some of the broadcast coverage shows,' he said.

The King said he brought in the State of National Safety to protect women and expatriates, some of whom were attacked.

'Also, our women were very scared and it is the duty of a gentleman to protect women, so I had to protect them,' he said.

The King told Der Spiegel he sought GCC military help to protect Bahrain's 'strategic installations... in case Iran would be more aggressive'.

He hailed the Peninsula Shield joint forces for their role in preserving Bahrain's security and stability during last year's unrest.

Following the unrest, the government instituted reforms giving the elected representatives more powers of scrutiny over ministers and budgets.

The King called on Syrian President Bashar Assad to listen to his people, adding that it was up to the Syrians to decide whether Assad should step down. – TradeArabia News Service