Iran Warns Gulf States Against Assisting US As Nuclear Retaliation Threat Emerges

Iran has warned Gulf states against assisting the US military, saying any support for American operations could be considered participation in a conflict against Tehran. Iranian lawmaker Fada Hossein Maleki also warned that Iran would respond to any US attack at a similar or greater level, including a possible nuclear attack, although he did not claim Iran possesses nuclear weapons. The warnings come as US-Iran talks remain stalled over commitments under a June memorandum and disputes involving the Strait of Hormuz, following months of hostilities between Iran, the US and Israel.

Iran's Chief of Staff, Major General Ali Abdollahi, has warned Gulf states against providing assistance to the US military amid renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Abdollahi said countries on the southern shores of the Gulf that have pledged not to allow Washington to use their territory against Iran should understand that Tehran is closely monitoring developments.
He specifically pointed to the presence of large numbers of US military aircraft, including aerial refuelling tankers, at bases across the region.
“Any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressor US military will be considered participation alongside US forces,” Abdollahi warned.

IRAN THREATENS RESPONSE TO ANY US NUCLEAR ATTACK

Separately, Iranian lawmaker Fada Hossein Maleki warned that Tehran would retaliate if the United States used a nuclear weapon against Iran.
Speaking to Iranian news outlet Khabar Online, Maleki said he could not rule out an ill-considered decision by US President Donald Trump, although he said he did not believe Trump would take such a step because it could plunge the world into a much wider war.
Maleki said Iran's response would correspond to the nature of any weapon used against it.
When asked directly whether Iran would respond with a nuclear weapon if the US used one against Iran, he said: “Whatever the US uses, Iran will respond to it.”
Maleki did not explicitly claim that Iran possesses nuclear weapons.

IRAN CLAIMS TO HAVE MORE MILITARY OPTIONS

The Iranian lawmaker also warned Washington against further military action, saying Tehran had “multiple options” available.
He claimed that some of Iran's military capabilities and weapons had not yet been revealed and described the country's strategy as having shifted from a defensive posture to what he called “active and offensive deterrence.”
The remarks signal Tehran's intention to maintain a strong retaliatory posture amid fears of further US-Iran confrontation.

TALKS BETWEEN TEHRAN AND WASHINGTON REMAIN STALLED

Maleki also addressed stalled negotiations between Iran and the United States.
He accused President Trump of failing to honour commitments contained in a memorandum of understanding between the two sides and said Iran would not return to negotiations unless Washington fulfilled its previous commitments.
He added that issues including the Strait of Hormuz would remain unresolved without progress on those commitments.
Maleki said Iran's talks with Oman represented a separate bilateral process and that Tehran had rejected US participation in those discussions.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ REMAINS A KEY ISSUE

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most sensitive issues in the dispute because of its importance to global energy supplies.
Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June, under Pakistani mediation, aimed at ending their conflict and paving the way for negotiations toward a broader agreement.
However, talks have since stalled over disagreements about the implementation of the memorandum, including arrangements concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

TENSIONS FOLLOW MONTHS OF HOSTILITIES

The latest warnings come after months of hostilities that began when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28.
Iran subsequently retaliated against US and Israeli targets as well as US military assets across the region.
The confrontation has increased pressure on Gulf states, many of which maintain close security relationships with Washington while also seeking to avoid becoming directly involved in a conflict with Tehran.
Iran's latest warnings suggest that any Gulf country perceived to be facilitating US military operations could risk being drawn into the confrontation.
With diplomatic efforts stalled and military tensions remaining high, concerns continue to grow that further escalation could spread across the wider Middle East.