A Bahraini court sentenced nine people to life in prison on Sunday for carrying out what prosecutors described as “hostile and terrorist acts” in cooperation with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), state media reported. Two further defendants received three-year sentences each after being convicted of collaborating with the IRGC in what prosecutors called “terrorist and espionage” activities. The verdicts were handed down in Manama on May 24.
Prosecutors said several of the defendants photographed vital and strategic sites across Bahrain on behalf of the IRGC. Others were accused of facilitating the transfer of funds from Iran into Bahrain — including through cryptocurrency transactions — to finance the operations. Authorities further alleged that individuals inside the country were recruited to provide local support for some of the plans.
The convictions follow a wave of Iranian strikes on Bahrain that began in late February, after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Tehran struck Gulf neighbours in response, stating it was targeting American military interests and infrastructure in the region, Al Jazeera reported.
Bahrain began arresting individuals allegedly linked to Iran in March, shortly after the conflict broke out. Earlier this month, authorities detained a further 41 people on similar grounds. Less than two weeks later, more than 60 people were stripped of their Bahraini citizenship for allegedly supporting Iranian attacks on the country and “colluding with foreign entities,” Al Jazeera said.
The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy condemned the citizenship revocations. “It constituted a clear violation of international law,” the organisation said, describing the measure as “dangerous.”
Bahrain is not alone among Gulf states in pursuing such cases. Last month, the United Arab Emirates said it had dismantled a group allegedly planning to carry out what officials described as “terrorist acts” linked to Iran, Al Jazeera reported. The UAE also accused Iran of attacks after a large fire broke out at an oil refinery in early May.
Bahrain is home to a large Shia Muslim population, many of whom have long accused the Sunni-led government of political and economic marginalisation. The government denies discriminating against Shia citizens and has repeatedly accused Iran of stoking unrest within the country’s borders. Those accusations have sharpened considerably since Iranian strikes began hitting Bahraini territory earlier this year.
Human rights groups have raised concerns about the pace and scale of Bahrain’s security crackdown since March. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy has documented multiple rounds of mass arrests and citizenship strippings in the months following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran. Authorities have not publicly named all defendants in the cases, making independent verification of individual charges difficult.
The IRGC is Iran’s elite military and intelligence force, designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and several allied governments. It has long been accused by Bahrain and other Gulf states of operating networks inside their borders aimed at undermining political stability.
Background
Bahrain hosts the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, making it a significant American military hub in the Gulf. The island nation normalised relations with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords. Iran struck multiple Gulf neighbours after the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February 2026, and Bahrain was among the countries hit. Manama has maintained a firm security posture toward any domestic activity it links to Tehran, conducting periodic waves of arrests and citizenship revocations over the past decade. The latest crackdown represents the most extensive such campaign in years, according to Al Jazeera.
What Happens Next
Bahraini authorities have not announced whether additional prosecutions are planned, though the earlier detention of 41 people this month suggests further trials are likely. Human rights organisations have called on Bahraini authorities to publish the names of all defendants and ensure access to independent legal counsel. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy has said it intends to challenge the citizenship revocations through international legal mechanisms. Regional tensions between Gulf states and Iran remain high as the wider US-Israel conflict with Tehran continues.
