Full story
Gulf warned as US redeploys
Iran’s armed forces warned Gulf countries on Wednesday against providing assistance or facilitating US military operations against Iran, saying such support would amount to direct participation in the US military operation.
“Iran’s armed forces on Wednesday warned Gulf countries against providing assistance or facilitating US military operations against Iran”
Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi questioned how a large number of US military aircraft, particularly aerial refueling tankers, could be stationed at regional bases without the knowledge of host countries.
The warning came as the United States redeployed the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of deteriorating living conditions for the Lincoln’s crew.
The Iranian warning was framed as part of an ongoing US-Iran war that began on February 28 following US-Israeli attacks on Iran, with Tehran retaliating with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US military positions across the region.
Abdollahi’s wording and UAE
Ali Abdollahi’s warning to Gulf states was carried by Iranian media through Mehr, with the statement that “any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressor US military amounts to participation in the US military operation.”
The South China Morning Post linked the timing of Iran’s warning to the United Arab Emirates announcing it was severing economic ties with Tehran after new attacks on shipping, and it said the Gulf is dotted with US military installations including in the UAE.
The Express Tribune added a separate Iranian lawmaker voice, saying Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission member Fada Hossein Maleki told Khabar Online that “Whatever the US uses, Iran will respond to it.”
In the same reporting stream, the Express Tribune also said Trump insisted talks were off and taunted Iran with a social media post depicting the strait as a “NEW U.S. Territory,” while the report described the Strait of Hormuz as a flashpoint and noted attacks on commercial ships continued.
Deterrence, options, and escalation risk
Iran’s warning to Gulf states was paired in the coverage with a broader posture of deterrence and escalation options, as the Express Tribune said Maleki warned Washington that Iran has “multiple options” at its disposal.
“Iran has “multiple options” at its disposal”
The Express Tribune further quoted Maleki saying Iran’s reaction would be “proportionate to the type of weapon used against Iran,” while also stating that Iran would respond “at the same level or even beyond.”
The CGTN transcript of Iranian media messaging emphasized that “It is unlikely that such a number of military aircraft, especially refueling planes, would be present at regional bases without the knowledge of the host countries,” and it reiterated that “Any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressive U.S. military will be considered participation with the U.S. military forces.”
In parallel, the Kurdistan24 report described Iran as “closely monitoring regional military activity,” and it said the warning came amid concerns the conflict could widen across the Gulf as Tehran repeatedly warned regional countries against allowing their territory, airspace, or military facilities to be used in operations against the Islamic Republic.
