Iran threatens to strike Gulf states if US attacks again
Iran has threatened to strike Gulf states if the US attacks again.
Iran has warned that it will retaliate against key energy facilities in the Gulf region if the US attacks its territory again, Reuters reported, citing five sources.
Iran has sharply increased high-level diplomatic relations after US President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran's energy network and infrastructure on July 28.
According to the sources, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held talks with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, as well as the commander of the Pakistani army. Araqchi called on Gulf states to influence Trump and dissuade him from attacking. He stressed that any attack would provoke a retaliatory strike on US assets and energy facilities in the Gulf.
A diplomat explaining Iran’s position said: “We are prepared to respond. But finding a diplomatic solution is the best way to avoid war and destruction in the region.”
The warning was directed at all Gulf states, and was delivered mainly through Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Trump and asked him to postpone military action and return to negotiations. On August 2, Trump said he had agreed to call off the attack on condition that a deal be reached quickly with Iran.
**The risk of full-scale war**
Saudi Arabia believes that further escalation will only lead to more destruction. That is why the country has urged Trump to give diplomacy a chance. At the same time, Riyadh has stressed that any attack on its territory will be met with a military response.
According to the Iranian official, in the event of a new attack, energy facilities in the Gulf, oil refineries, electricity and water networks, transportation systems and oil fields will be hit.
The Iranian official said: “The enemy continues to threaten Iran’s infrastructure. If Iran is harmed, it will inflict very heavy damage in return. They still remember the attack on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco facilities in 2019.”
The Iranian leadership is also demanding that the US close its military bases in the Gulf and that these countries stop sharing intelligence with Washington.
According to the Iranian official, Trump now faces two difficult choices: drag the entire region into war and disrupt the world’s energy supply, or agree to a diplomatic settlement that falls short of the absolute victory that Washington wants.
"But one of the main obstacles to a deal is the US's unwillingness to recognize Iran as the winner," the Iranian official said. "Washington wants to achieve a result that will prove victory for itself."
Iran has previously warned its neighbors of the consequences of becoming a "protective shield" for the US.