Bahrain has sentenced nine people to life in prison and given three-year jail terms to two other defendants on charges of carrying out “hostile and terrorist acts” in collaboration with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to state media on June 15, 2025, the verdicts come as Bahrain intensifies its crackdown on individuals suspected of having links to Tehran.
Prosecutors said some of the defendants photographed strategic and critical facilities in Bahrain at the IRGC's request, while others were accused of facilitating the transfer of funds from Iran to Bahrain, including through cryptocurrency transactions, to finance operations. Authorities also alleged that individuals inside the country were recruited to support certain schemes.
The wave of arrests began in March 2025, shortly after the outbreak of conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel alliance in late February. Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran launched airstrikes against Gulf states, claiming the targets were U.S. interests, including military bases. In early April 2025, Bahrain arrested an additional 41 people. Less than two weeks later, more than 60 individuals were stripped of their citizenship for allegedly supporting Iranian attacks and “colluding with foreign entities.”
The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) called the move “dangerous” and a clear violation of international law. Alongside Bahrain, other Gulf states have also arrested those accused of cooperating with Iran. In May, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it had dismantled a group allegedly plotting “terrorist acts.”
Bahrain has a large Shia Muslim community, many of whom have long accused the government of political and economic discrimination. However, the Bahraini government denies discriminating against Shia citizens and accuses Iran of stirring domestic unrest.
