Iran has warned it will strike United States military bases across the Middle East if US forces attack the country.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera that any US strike would draw a direct response on American installations in the region, but said this should not be viewed as an attack on the countries hosting those bases. He stressed that Tehran distinguishes between neighbouring states and the foreign forces stationed there.
Araqchi spoke a day after Iran and the US agreed to continue indirect nuclear talks, which both sides described as a good start following a round of negotiations in Oman. He said no date has been set for the next meeting, while US President Donald Trump has suggested they could resume early next week.
Trump has threatened military action while demanding that Iran abandon uranium enrichment, halt ballistic missile development and stop backing armed groups around the region. Iran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons and says it will only discuss its nuclear file, not missiles or regional activities.
Araqchi said meaningful dialogue requires Washington to stop threats and pressure. He also repeated Tehran’s demand for recognition of its right to enrich uranium and its refusal to put its missile programme on the table, arguing this would leave Iran vulnerable to Israeli attacks.
He recalled that last June the US joined the final phase of a 12 day Israeli bombing campaign that struck Iranian nuclear facilities, after which Tehran announced it had halted enrichment. Iran’s response then included a missile strike on a US base in Qatar.
If there is a new US attack, Araqchi said Iran would respond in a similar way by targeting US bases in the region rather than US territory itself. He underlined that Tehran wants to avoid dragging neighbouring countries into conflict but will not leave American forces in the region untouched.
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