Bahrain Arrests 41 Suspected of Ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guards
Al Jazeera Staff
Bahrain's Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 41 individuals suspected of links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with legal proceedings underway. The arrests are part of broader investigations into espionage and support for Iranian attacks, amid regional crackdowns on suspected Iran-linked groups.
Bahrain's Interior Ministry announced on May 9 that it had arrested 41 individuals suspected of belonging to a group linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The ministry's statement did not specify the exact charges but said the arrests were connected to earlier investigations into espionage activities and expressions of support for Iranian attacks during the war launched by Israel and the United States in late February.
According to the statement, legal procedures are being carried out against those detained. The ministry said it would continue investigating the group suspected of ties to the IRGC and take legal action against anyone involved. During the conflict, Iran fired thousands of missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf states, including Bahrain, causing significant damage to U.S. military bases. Since then, Bahrain has cracked down on those believed to be pro-Iranian, warning it would prosecute anyone praising or expressing support for attacks from Iran.
Earlier, Bahraini authorities conducted several arrest campaigns in March against individuals accused of spying for the IRGC. In late April, Bahrain also stripped citizenship from 69 people after accusing them of sympathizing with Iran and “colluding with foreign entities.” The London-based Bahrain Institute for Democracy and Human Rights called the move “dangerous” and a clear violation of international law.
Regional states have also stepped up investigations into entities suspected of ties to Iran since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. On April 20, the UAE National Security Agency announced it had uncovered a group linked to Iran in the country and arrested dozens of its members, accusing them of “swearing allegiance to foreign entities and harming national unity and social peace.” The UAE has suffered more Iranian attacks than any other country during the war, though most were intercepted.
A fragile ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, reached on April 8, remains in effect despite a series of clashes in and around the Strait of Hormuz in recent days. The U.S. is awaiting an official response from Iran to a proposal to end the war, although President Donald Trump has stated he is ready to strike Iran at a “higher level and intensity” if no deal is reached.
