The U.S. State Department sanctioned “the Saraya al-Mukhtar group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist… for posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the national security and foreign policy of the U.S.”. According to Secretary Pompeo, the group “is an Iran-backed terrorist organisation based in Bahrain, reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps”, and its “self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini government with the intention of paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain”. “The group has plotted attacks against U.S. personnel in Bahrain and has offered cash rewards for the assassination of Bahraini officials”, he added. Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry hailed the move as “a significant positive step”.