Bahrain Arrests 41 Over Alleged Links to Iran’s IRGC

Bahrain has arrested 41 people accused of links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday. The ministry announced that legal proceedings are under way against those detained. It did not specify charges but said the arrests stemmed from investigations into espionage and expressions of support for Iranian attacks during the war that Israel and the United States launched against Iran in late February.

During that conflict Iran fired thousands of missiles and drones at several Gulf neighbors, including Bahrain, causing significant damage to U.S. military sites. Bahraini authorities have since intensified a crackdown on perceived pro-Iran activity inside the country.

Anyone who glorifies or expresses support for the Iranian attacks could face prosecution, officials have warned. The latest detentions follow several earlier rounds of arrests in March targeting individuals accused of spying for the IRGC.

In late April Bahrain stripped the citizenship of 69 people after accusing them of sympathizing with Iran and colluding with foreign entities. The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy called the citizenship revocations a dangerous violation of international law.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement warning against further Iranian interference in the kingdom and other Gulf neighbors. The statement accused Iran of employing espionage cells linked to the IRGC and Lebanese Hezbollah to undermine Bahrain’s sovereignty.

It called on Iran to comply with its obligations under international law and to cease aggressive acts, including the use of terrorist proxies and militias that target maritime navigation and threaten the Strait of Hormuz. Such practices represent a direct threat to international navigation, energy supply chains, food security, global trade, and regional peace, the ministry said.

On April 20 the UAE’s State Security Service said it uncovered an Iran-linked group, arrested dozens of its members, and accused them of pledging allegiance to foreign entities while harming national unity. The UAE absorbed more Iranian strikes than any other Gulf state during the war, though most were intercepted.

A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire reached on April 8 remains in effect despite subsequent clashes near the Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain has said it will continue its investigations and take legal action against anyone found involved with the alleged IRGC-linked group.

The announcement comes as the United States awaits a formal response from Iran on a proposal to end the war.