Bahrain bans citizens from traveling to Iran and Iraq

Bahrain's Interior Ministry on Tuesday banned citizens from traveling to Iran and Iraq until further notice, citing "continued security tensions" in the region. The decision comes as the Shiite Muslim holy month of Muharram approaches, during which millions of Shiites traditionally travel to Karbala in Iraq for pilgrimage.iranwire+2

Sectarian Concerns and Criticism

The timing of the ban has drawn sharp criticism from Bahraini Shiite groups and human rights advocates. Baqer Darwish, chairperson of the Geneva-based Bahrain Forum for Human Rights, called it "a measure that targets Shiite citizens in the practice of their religious beliefs, particularly visits to holy shrines," adding that it is "part of a long pattern of sectarian discrimination."newlinesmag

Al-Wefaq, the Bahraini Shiite political party that was ordered to disband but continues to operate clandestinely, issued a statement calling the decision "suspicious in its timing and circumstances as the religious pilgrimage season is about to begin."newlinesmag

Bahrain's Prisoners Affairs Authority has documented 467 arbitrary arrests since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict, targeting participants in religious rituals and mourning ceremonies, according to a tally released on May 31.newlinesmag

Regional Security Context

The ban follows the broader fallout from the February 28 U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, including Bahrain. Iran struck multiple buildings in the Bahraini capital Manama, including the Juffair district where the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is headquartered. As of March, two fatalities and more than 50 injuries had been reported in Bahrain from the strikes.wikipedia+1

The conflict also led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which remains disrupted months later. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Sunday that oil transit through the strait could resume in "a month or two", while energy experts have warned that shipping may never fully return to pre-war norms due to elevated insurance costs and mine-clearing operations expected to take six months.thehill+2

The United Arab Emirates has also imposed a travel ban on its nationals from visiting Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon, reflecting broader Gulf state anxieties as the region navigates the aftermath of the conflict.fragomen