Bahrain Mirror: The executive director of a leading British think tank, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) that organizes the "Manama Dialogue" forum, has quietly stepped down after a British newspaper revealed that IISS has received £25 million from Bahraini royals.

The resignation comes on the eve of the first day of the form that is held annually under the auspices of the Crown Prince and attended by officials and diplomats around the world. The forum is considered a major event on the level of discussing security issues. Former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki took part in one of the forum's sessions.

The institution did not officially announce the resignation of its executive director for Manama branch, however, BuzzFeed website said that Sir John Jenkins, the former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, left his post in Bahrain in late November, according to internal letters, seen by BuzzFeed News.

Sources close to IISS management said there had been internal management disputes over "scrutiny and lack of oversight".

Jenkins resignations comes as Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, is due to deliver a speech at the IISS Manama Dialogue event in Bahrain, where delegations from over 20 countries will gather to "exchange views on regional security challenges".

The Guardian revealed on Tuesday, December 6, documents proving that a British thinktank received funds from the Bahraini royal family reaching £25m.

Confidential documents seen by the Guardian show that the country's repressive rulers donated the sum to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) over the last five years. The documents also reveal that IISS and the Bahraini royals agreed to "take all necessary steps" to keep most of the donations secret. The Bahrain donations make up more than a quarter of IISS's income.

The documents leaked by Bahrain Watch disclose that part of the funding was specified for holding "Manama Dialogue". Bahrain Watch said "We don't know the full extent [of Bahrain's funding] - these are just the projects that we know of."

IISS denied the accusations against it. Meanwhile, the UK Charity Commission has confirmed it is investigating a complaint filed against a London-based think-tank into whether it compromised its independence by accepting confidential financing from Bahrain.

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