Reports indicate Tehran has cautioned Middle Eastern neighbors against supporting any potential American military action.
According to Reuters, Iran has put its military on high alert, warning neighboring countries that host U.S. bases that supporting potential American strikes would not be tolerated. The warning was reportedly relayed by an official familiar with the situation.
This action follows a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging direct negotiations to halt Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has also threatened military action if a new agreement is not reached.
Tehran, which denies pursuing nuclear weapons, dismissed the call for direct talks. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi labeled the proposal “meaningless” and questioned its sincerity, stating, “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?”
Reuters reports that Tehran “has issued notices to Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain,” cautioning that allowing U.S. forces to use their airspace or territory would be seen as a hostile act. An unnamed official stated, “Such an act will have severe consequences for them.”
The same source indicated that Khamenei ordered the Iranian armed forces to be placed on high alert.
In 2015, Tehran entered into a UN-backed agreement, limiting its nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of sanctions. Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2017 and reimposed sanctions as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. In response, Iran has reduced its compliance with the 2015 agreement.
Iran remains receptive to indirect discussions facilitated by Oman, according to Reuters. The Iranian official stated, “Indirect talks offer a chance to evaluate Washington’s seriousness about a political solution,” adding that talks could commence soon if U.S. signals are “genuine,” although the process could be “rocky.”
Araghchi stated on Sunday that Iran seeks talks on “equal footing,” describing the U.S. as “a party that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials.”
Major General Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), declared on Saturday that the country was “ready for any war.”
Earlier, Russia stated that U.S. threats against Iran were “unacceptable” and urged restraint.
“`