Bahrain’s High Criminal Court held its first hearing Sunday in a national security case involving 19 defendants accused of forming and operating a terrorist organization allegedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The case concerns 19 individuals, of whom 11 are currently in custody and eight remain at large. Prosecutors allege the group sought to destabilize Bahrain’s constitutional order, obstruct government institutions, undermine national unity, and ultimately overthrow the constitutional system. The defendants are accused of creating and managing an organization aimed at achieving these objectives through unlawful means.
Prosecutors further allege that the group attempted to influence religious gatherings, including ma’atam (ritual mourning in Shia tradition), and places of worship, using them to promote its ideology and encourage opposition to the Bahraini government. The alleged activities included efforts to spread political messaging aligned with wilayat al-faqih, a governance theory associated with Iran’s political system. Prosecutors also charge that communication between the defendants and individuals linked to the IRGC were part of a coordinated effort to alter Bahrain’s political system.
The defendants are reported to have denied all charges.
The 19 defendants were among 41 people arrested in May in connection with the same investigation. Some individuals have already received life sentences in relation to alleged IRGC-linked spying and sabotage.
The next court hearing in the current case is scheduled for July 12.
Bahrain–Iran relations have long been shaped by geopolitical tensions and mutual accusations of interference. Disputes have persisted since Bahrain’s independence in 1971, with major escalations following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and again after 2011, when Bahrain accused Iran of involvement in domestic unrest, all of which Iran has consistently denied. Today, Bahrain remains closely aligned with the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other regional partners, while maintaining heightened security concerns regarding Iranian regional influence.