WASHINGTON — The United States designated on Tuesday the Iranian-backed and Bahrain-based Saraya Al-Mukhtar or Mukhtar Brigades as a terrorist organization, accusing it of being backed by Iran and of having plotted attacks against US personnel in the Gulf state.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the group is “reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”

He added that Saraya Al-Mukhtar’s “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 US personnel in Bahrain and has offered cash rewards for the assassination of Bahraini officials.”

As a result of the designation, Pompeo said: “All of the group’s property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or hereafter come within the possession or control of US persons, are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with it.”

Commenting on the move, Pompeo also tweeted, saying: "Today’s designation of Saraya al-Mukhtar sends a strong message to the Iranian regime that we will not allow its terrorist proxies to threaten the people of Bahrain and the US personnel stationed there." — Agencies