Bahrain Sentences to Prison Suspects in Money Laundering Cases Related to Iran

A view of Bahrain’s financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters)
A view of Bahrain’s financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters)
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Bahrain Sentences to Prison Suspects in Money Laundering Cases Related to Iran

A view of Bahrain’s financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters)
A view of Bahrain’s financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters)

Bahrain sentenced to prison three suspects in the Future Bank case, and fined them more than 9 million dollars.

The case came to light after the general prosecution revealed in February that some seven billion dollars have disappeared from Future Bank’s records and were used to finance Iranian groups, in violation of sanctions imposed against the country.

A court sentenced the Future Bank officials to five years in jail, fining them each 100,000 dinars. It also fined the implicated banks the same amount and ordered the confiscation of the remitted money.

The Public Prosecution had previously revealed that its investigations have uncovered a plan that permitted Iranian entities, including those implicated in funding terrorism or which are under international sanctions, to carry out international transactions while avoiding organizational auditing.

Future Bank, which is operating under the supervision of Bank Melli Iran and the Export Development Bank of Iran, has carried out thousands of international financial transactions while providing covers for the Iranian entities there through deliberate concealment or removal of basic information while remitting money via the SWIFT network.

The Public Prosecution referred the Future Bank officials and the other implicated banks to the High Criminal Court according to the anti-money laundering and combating funding terrorism law.



UAE and Syria to Resume Flights 

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with UAE's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 13, 2025. (Syrian Presidency/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with UAE's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 13, 2025. (Syrian Presidency/Handout via Reuters)
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UAE and Syria to Resume Flights 

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with UAE's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 13, 2025. (Syrian Presidency/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with UAE's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 13, 2025. (Syrian Presidency/Handout via Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced on Monday the resumption of flights between the UAE and Syria.

In a statement, the GCAA said that joint coordination is currently underway to complete the necessary procedures for restarting flights in a manner that boosts air traffic and supports passenger and cargo movement between them.

The announcement was made shortly after a visit by Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the UAE last week where he met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for talk on a number of issues of mutual interest. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments.