Bahrain Detains 41 Over Alleged IRGC Ties, Strips 69 of Citizenship

TL;DR: Bahrain has arrested 41 people accused of ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and revoked the citizenship of 69 others for alleged pro‑Iran activities.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry announced Saturday that legal proceedings have begun against 41 individuals it says belong to a group linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The ministry did not disclose specific charges, but linked the arrests to earlier investigations into espionage and public support for Iranian attacks launched in February by Israel and the United States.

In late April, Bahrain stripped citizenship from 69 people it accused of sympathising with Iran and colluding with foreign entities. The move, described by a London‑based rights group as a violation of international law, follows a series of arrests in March targeting alleged IRGC spies.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) echoed Bahrain’s accusations, saying its State Security Service uncovered an Iran‑linked network whose members pledged allegiance to foreign entities and threatened national unity and social peace. The UAE’s crackdown came after it intercepted the highest number of Iranian missile and drone attacks in the region.

Both Gulf states are acting amid a fragile U.S.–Iran ceasefire that began on April 8. The ceasefire holds despite sporadic clashes near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping lane. The United States remains poised for a formal Iranian response to a proposed end‑of‑war deal, while former President Trump has warned of a possible escalation.

Bahrain’s latest arrests signal a broader regional effort to suppress perceived pro‑Iran networks. Authorities say the investigations will continue and anyone found involved will face prosecution. The crackdown raises questions about due‑process standards and the impact on Bahrain’s expatriate community, many of whom hold dual nationality.

What to watch next: how Bahrain’s legal actions affect diplomatic ties with Iran and whether other Gulf states will launch similar citizenship revocations as the regional security environment evolves.