Authorities in Bahrain say they have dismantled an Iranian-linked cell plotting attacks in the Gulf island kingdom.
The cell -- allegedly linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hizballah militia -- was planning to carry out a "series of dangerous bombings" in Bahrain, the country's Interior Ministry said in a statement on January 6.
The statement came days after Bahrain, a Saudi ally, cut ties with Iran amid a diplomatic dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia over Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric.
Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on January 2, prompting strong condemnations by Shi'ite-led regional rival Iran.
The statement comes amid a diplomatic dispute between Saudi Arabia and regional rival Iran over Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric on January 2.
Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after protesters stormed Saudi Arabia's Embassy in Iran.
Several Saudi allies followed suit, with Bahrain, Djibouti, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates scaling back or cutting diplomatic ties to Iran.
Kuwait and Qatar recalled their ambassadors in Tehran and Jordan summoned Iran's ambassador in Amman.
Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni monarchy but has a Shi'ite majority that supported mass protests in 2011 demanding greater political rights.