The director of the religious seminaries in Iran condemns the upcoming verdicts of Bahrain against Shia scholars.
The director of religious seminaries in Iran, Ayatollah Ali Reza Arfi, condemned Bahrain's planned verdicts against more than 60 Shia religious scholars, describing the trials as politically motivated and lacking legal legitimacy.
He warned of dire consequences, promised support for scholars and people in Bahrain, and vowed to take legal and international means to protect their rights and dignity.
Statement text:
An official statement issued by the management of the religious seminaries in the Islamic Republic of Iran, condemning the repressive measures of the ruling regime in Bahrain and the mock trials targeting pious religious scholars.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful.
"O you who believe! Stand firm for Allah as witnesses in righteousness, and do not let the hatred of a people cause you to deviate from righteousness. Be right; It is closer to charity. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is aware of everything you do. " (5:8).
At a time when the mission of the prophets appointed by God was to establish justice, the recent steps of the governments of Bahrain exceeded the limits of oppression, constitute a blatant violation of the fundamental rights of the nation and a direct attack on the pillars of religious guidance.
We do not see these actions as just a political mistake, but as a systematic policy of oppression aimed at undermining the status of religion and Islam.
The issuance of judgments on February 8, 2026 against more than 60 individuals, including prominent religious figures, prominent scholars, religious seminary directors, and religious preachers - with their implementation scheduled for November 8, 2026 - is a clear conspiracy targeting systematic clerics and scholars.