Iran has warned Gulf Arab states that any new U.S. strike on its territory will trigger retaliation against regional energy infrastructure. The threat follows President Trump's July 28 warning to target Iran's energy network, and lands as Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar already face fallout tied to hosting U.S. forces.
Tehran presses Gulf allies to restrain Washington
Iran has warned Gulf states that a new U.S. attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to five sources cited by Reuters. One Iranian official said Tehran's warning made clear that any new U.S. strike would be met with attacks on energy facilities, refineries, electricity grids, water infrastructure, transport networks and oil fields across the Gulf.
The warning came through high-level diplomatic contacts after Trump's July 28 threat to strike Iran's energy network. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called his Saudi, Turkish and Qatari counterparts, as well as Pakistan's army chief, urging them to press Trump to hold off further strikes. According to a Gulf source cited by Reuters: "Saudi Arabia believes further escalation will only bring more destruction."
Gulf bases already in the crosshairs
Iran's threat is directed at nations like Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar — the states hosting U.S. bases. Since earlier this year, Iran has already launched ballistic missiles against U.S. air bases in Kuwait and struck naval facilities in Bahrain, while energy targets in Qatar have also been hit, Crypto Briefing reported. The UAE, despite not permitting U.S. strikes from its territory, faces hundreds to thousands of Iranian missile threats.
A precedent Gulf producers remember
Tehran's warning invokes the September 2019 attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which temporarily knocked out more than half the kingdom's crude oil production. An Iranian official said the enemy continues to threaten Iranian infrastructure and that Iran would inflict far greater damage in return if it suffers damage. Analyst Ali Shihabi, close to the Saudi royal court, said Riyadh's assessment is that further escalation is unlikely to achieve the desired result, favoring proportionate military responses paired with sustained pressure on Iran.
Trump signals room for a deal
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged Trump to delay military action, return to negotiations, secure a ceasefire and pursue a diplomatic settlement. Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia jointly pressed Washington to resume talks with Tehran.
On August 2, Trump said he agreed to cancel the attack on Iran, subject to reaching a deal quickly. A senior regional diplomat said Washington's reluctance to let Tehran claim victory remains one of the main obstacles to an agreement.
Sources: Commodities & Futures News, Crypto Briefing
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