WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it had designated al-Ashtar Brigades, which it described as an Iran-backed terrorist group in Bahrain, as a foreign terrorist organization.

It said in a statement that the group was established in 2013 with the aim of toppling the Bahraini government, and had killed police officers in bomb and gun attacks. Members of the group have received weapons and explosives from Iran, it added.

The designation denies the group access to the U.S. financial system, the statement said.