The Ministry of Interior clarified that, according to the statements of the three sailors who were aboard a Bahraini vessel subjected to armed robbery on 18 February 2026, they were forced at gunpoint from the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain into Iranian waters, where one of the vessel’s engines and other belongings were seized.
The sailors indicated that they were compelled to board a boat used by the perpetrators, who then headed towards Iranian waters. They further confirmed that the individuals responsible for the incident were Iranian nationals, and that they were released approximately three hours later and allowed to sail back towards Bahrain.
Details of the Coast Guard indicate that similar incidents have occurred on more than one occasion, carried out by Iranian individuals.
The Ministry of Interior affirmed that this incident constitutes a violation of international maritime law and grants the Kingdom of Bahrain the right to take the necessary legal measures in this regard.
