Bahrain widens inquiry into alleged IRGC network

Bahrain’s Public Prosecution has disclosed preliminary findings from an investigation into what authorities describe as the main organisation linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Wilayat al-Faqih ideology, placing 41 suspects in detention as prosecutors examine alleged recruitment, financing and attempts to influence religious institutions.

The Head of the Terrorist Crimes Prosecution said the inquiry targets a network allegedly formed by members of the dissolved Islamic Scholars Council and their associates. Prosecutors said the organisation sought to undermine national loyalty by promoting allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader over Bahrain’s constitutional order, while using mosques, religious seminaries and other platforms to spread its ideas.

The disclosure marks a significant escalation in Bahrain’s continuing campaign against alleged Iran-linked activity, at a time when Manama has intensified legal and security action over suspected espionage, terrorist financing and support for hostile acts. Authorities said the suspects have been questioned and remanded in custody while the investigation continues.

Prosecutors have ordered the lifting of bank-account confidentiality and the freezing of assets connected to the case. Investigators are examining alleged fundraising channels, financial transfers and material seized during security operations. The prosecution said part of the money collected by the group was transferred abroad, including to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, to support organisations described by Bahraini authorities as terrorist entities.

The allegations go beyond financial activity. Prosecutors said the organisation attempted to exert influence over religious platforms, recruit followers and spread extremist ideology through structured activity inside Bahrain. The inquiry also found alleged intimidation of religious figures who opposed Wilayat al-Faqih, including through fatwas, marginalisation, ideological pressure and threats of violence.

The dissolved Islamic Scholars Council has long been viewed by Bahraini authorities as part of a wider infrastructure of political-religious mobilisation tied to Tehran’s influence. The latest case presents prosecutors’ argument that the alleged network was not merely an ideological circle but an organised structure with funding channels, recruitment methods and a strategy to shape religious discourse.

Bahrain has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its internal affairs, an allegation Tehran has denied over the years. The kingdom’s security establishment has treated IRGC-linked activity as a direct national-security threat, particularly because Bahrain hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and sits close to the maritime routes and energy infrastructure at the centre of Gulf security calculations.

The 41-suspect case follows a series of terrorism and espionage prosecutions linked to the IRGC. A Bahraini court this month sentenced nine defendants to life imprisonment and two others to three years in prison after convicting them of collaborating with the IRGC to carry out hostile and terrorist acts against the kingdom. That case involved allegations that defendants collected information on sensitive sites and facilitated related financial transfers.

Another case saw a defendant sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of espionage and collaboration with the IRGC and Hezbollah. Prosecutors said the defendant had collected and transferred sensitive information with the intention of aiding hostile activity against Bahrain. The court also ordered the confiscation of seized materials.

These proceedings indicate that Bahraini authorities are treating alleged Iran-linked networks as a layered threat involving intelligence gathering, ideological mobilisation, financing and operational support. The latest prosecution statement places religious influence and financial flows at the centre of the case, rather than limiting the inquiry to conventional espionage claims.

Regional context has sharpened the sensitivity of the case. Gulf states have heightened scrutiny of Iran-aligned groups amid continuing tensions involving Tehran and its allies across the Middle East. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have previously designated several Bahrain-based militant groups as terrorist organisations, while the United States has listed groups such as Al-Ashtar Brigades and Saraya al-Mukhtar over alleged Iran-backed activity.

The IRGC’s regional role remains a central concern for Gulf security agencies. Washington designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2019, while US authorities have also targeted individuals accused of supporting Bahrain-based armed groups. Bahrain has coordinated with international partners in past sanctions and designation actions aimed at disrupting financial and logistical support for Iran-aligned networks.

Human-rights organisations have often criticised Bahrain’s handling of security cases, arguing that terrorism and national-security charges have sometimes been used in a political context. Bahraini authorities maintain that prosecutions are based on evidence, judicial oversight and national-security requirements. The latest case is still under investigation, meaning no final judicial finding has been issued against the detained suspects.

The prosecution’s emphasis on ongoing procedures suggests additional arrests, charges or financial measures could follow. Investigators are expected to continue tracing bank records, seized materials and alleged communications linked to the organisation. The detention orders keep the suspects under judicial supervision while prosecutors assemble the case.

For Bahrain, the matter now sits at the intersection of domestic security, sectarian sensitivity and regional rivalry. The government is seeking to demonstrate that it can disrupt alleged IRGC-linked activity before it develops into operational violence, while also managing the legal and social implications of a case involving religious figures, financial networks and allegations of foreign allegiance.