A Bahraini court has sentenced nine defendants to life in prison and two others to three years in jail after convicting them of collaborating with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in what authorities described as “hostile and terrorist acts” against the kingdom.
The rulings, reported by Bahrain’s state news agency on Sunday, come amid an intensified security crackdown targeting individuals accused of links to Tehran following months of regional tensions and attacks involving Gulf states.
Prosecutors said the defendants were involved in photographing vital and strategic locations inside Bahrain on behalf of the IRGC and facilitating financial transfers linked to the alleged operations.
Authorities also accused some defendants of arranging transfers from Iran to Bahrain through cryptocurrency transactions and recruiting individuals inside the country to support the plans.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said earlier this month that 41 people linked to the IRGC had been arrested as part of broader investigations into alleged cooperation with Iranian attacks and activities tied to regional unrest.
The arrests followed investigations launched after the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran escalated in late February.
Iran launched attacks on Bahrain and other Gulf Arab states hosting United States military bases after Washington and Israel began military operations against Iran on February 28.
Iran said at the time it was targeting American interests across the region.
Bahraini authorities have since widened measures against individuals accused of supporting Tehran.
Less than two weeks before the latest sentencing, more than 60 people were stripped of their citizenship over allegations of supporting Iranian attacks and “colluding with foreign entities”.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy criticised the move, describing it as “dangerous” and a violation of international law.
Other Gulf states have also announced arrests linked to alleged Iranian-backed activities, including the United Arab Emirates, which said last month it had dismantled a group accused of planning “terrorist acts”.