Iran Issues Severe Threat Over US Attacks, Pressures Gulf States to Mediate

Iran has issued a stark warning to Gulf countries that any further US military strikes on its territory will provoke severe retaliatory attacks on energy and infrastructure facilities across the region. This threat, reported by Reuters, marks a significant escalation as Tehran seeks to alter the strategic balance with the United States, which has so far refrained from responding militarily despite recent attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and a US base in Kuwait.

The Iranian warning is paradoxically directed at Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, with whom Iran is engaged in extensive diplomatic talks, while excluding Pakistan from direct pressure. Iran is leveraging these mediators to urge Washington to avoid further military action, a tactic that reportedly helped prevent a major US strike previously planned by Saudi Arabia.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed in discussions with regional counterparts that while Iran is prepared to respond militarily, a diplomatic solution remains the best way to prevent widespread escalation and destruction. A Gulf source confirmed the unequivocal nature of Iran's message: any US targeting of Iranian infrastructure will trigger retaliatory strikes on energy facilities and other regional targets.

Following this pressure, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly urged US President Donald Trump to suspend military operations and pursue diplomacy. An Iranian official emphasized Tehran's readiness to impose a heavy price if attacked, warning that damage to Iranian infrastructure would be met with far greater retaliation, including attacks on power grids, water facilities, oil fields, and transportation routes throughout the Gulf.

To date, the US has avoided military strikes in Iran amid these tensions, moving instead toward a potential agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz situation.