Tehran – Iran has warned that it would strike United States military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by US forces, while stressing that such action should not be interpreted as aggression against host countries.
The warning was issued on Saturday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during an interview with Qatar based Al Jazeera television. His remarks came a day after Tehran and Washington agreed to continue indirect nuclear talks following discussions in Oman that both sides described as positive.
Araqchi said no date had been fixed for the next round of negotiations, although US President Donald Trump later indicated that talks could resume early next week. “We and Washington believe it should be held soon,” Araqchi said.
The comments follow renewed tension after Trump threatened military action against Iran amid a buildup of US naval forces in the region. Washington has demanded that Tehran abandon uranium enrichment, which it says could lead to the development of nuclear weapons, end its ballistic missile programme and stop supporting armed groups in the Middle East.
Iran has repeatedly denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons and maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. While both sides have signalled willingness to return to diplomacy over Iran’s long running nuclear dispute with Western powers, Araqchi rejected any attempt to expand the scope of the talks beyond nuclear issues.
“Any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. (Tehran) only discusses its nuclear issue … We do not discuss any other issue with the U.S.,” he said.
Tensions between the two countries escalated last June when the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining the final stages of a 12 day Israeli air campaign. Iran later said it had halted uranium enrichment activities. Its response at the time included a missile strike on a US military base in Qatar, a country that maintains diplomatic ties with both Tehran and Washington.
Araqchi said a similar response could follow any future US attack on Iran. “It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he said.
“We will not attack neighbouring countries; rather, we will target U.S. bases stationed in them. There is a big difference between the two.”
Iran says it wants international recognition of its right to enrich uranium and argues that placing its missile programme on the negotiating table would leave the country exposed to potential Israeli attacks.
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