On 9/5, Bahrain's interior ministry announced the arrests, which followed public prosecutor investigations into espionage for foreign entities and acts supporting Iran's "aggression".

Human rights activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei earlier posted on X that Bahrain "arrested several influential Shiite clerics in the country," describing the development as "unprecedented and of an unseen scale".

Bahraini police at the scene of an explosion in Manama in June 2017. *Reuters*

Bahrain's population is predominantly Shiite, though its leadership is Sunni. The island nation, home to a major US military base, has faced numerous attacks from Iran. These attacks were Tehran's retaliation against Washington following a conflict that began in late february.

Bahrain has since escalated its crackdown on those expressing support or sympathy for Iran, a predominantly Shiite nation. In April, Bahrain stripped 69 individuals of their citizenship for backing Iran. On 7/5, the Bahraini parliament expelled three members of parliament who opposed a royal decree concerning citizenship issues.

By Nhu Tam (AFP, Reuters)