Bahrain has expelled a prominent religious figure on Wednesday, accusing him of acting as a representative of influential Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani without permission.

A statement by the interior ministry said it had received information from top Iraqi government officials that Sheikh Hussein Al-Najati was Sistani's representative and had carried out activities such as fund-raising in that capacity.

The interior ministry said in the statement that Najati was among 31 people stripped of their Bahraini nationality in November 2012 for reasons of national security.

"Working as an official agent for any entity requires an official letter that spells out the responsibilities and the activities that will be performed which are then naturally studied by the relevant bodies in the state which have the final say in this matter," the statement said.

"In light of all this, we have decided to expel Najati."

Najati was born in Bahrain to two Iranian parents who obtained Bahraini nationality in 2002, the interior ministry said.

He spent more than two decades in Iran before returning to Bahrain in 2001. - Reuters