Iran Threatens Severe Military Response to US Strikes, Pressures Gulf States to Intervene

Iran has issued a stark warning to Gulf countries that any new American military strikes on its territory will provoke severe retaliatory attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure across the region. This unprecedented threat, reported by Reuters, is aimed paradoxically at Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, which are currently engaged in extensive diplomatic talks with Tehran, while excluding Pakistan from direct pressure.

The move appears to be Iran's attempt to shift the strategic balance against the United States, which has so far refrained from retaliating despite recent attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and a strike on a US base in Kuwait. Iran is leveraging these Gulf intermediaries to pressure Washington to avoid further military action, similar to Saudi Arabia's previous intervention that prevented a major US strike. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed in talks with regional counterparts that while Iran is ready to respond militarily, diplomacy remains the preferred path to prevent widespread escalation and destruction.

A Gulf source confirmed the severity of Iran's message, emphasizing that any US targeting of Iranian infrastructure would trigger attacks on energy installations and other regional targets. Following this pressure, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Donald Trump to suspend military operations and pursue diplomatic solutions. An Iranian official warned that Tehran would exact a heavy price if attacked, threatening damage to power grids, water facilities, oil fields, and transport routes throughout the Gulf. To date, the US has avoided direct strikes on Iran, seemingly moving toward a new agreement regarding the Hormuz region.