Exclusive report by Reuters: Five sources revealed that Iran has warned Persian Gulf countries that if the United States attacks Iranian territory again, Iran will retaliate by attacking key energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf region.
The report states that the Iranian government hopes that by threatening America's closest allies in the Gulf region, it can raise the costs the U.S. must bear should it take military action.
According to the sources, after President Trump threatened on July 28 to strike Iran's energy network and infrastructure, Iran conveyed the warning to Gulf countries through intensive high-level diplomatic contacts.
Two senior Iranian officials, two Gulf-based sources, and a senior regional diplomat familiar with the talks said that Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi spoke with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as Pakistan’s Army Chief of Staff.
According to the aforementioned senior diplomat, Araghchi urged the U.S. Gulf allies to use their influence over Trump to dissuade him from launching another attack, and warned that any attack on Iran would prompt Iran to retaliate against U.S. assets and energy facilities in the Gulf.
The diplomat stated that Araghchi delivered a consistent message in each conversation: “We are prepared to retaliate, but seeking a diplomatic solution is the best way to avoid further escalation of regional conflict and devastation in the region.”
Halting the Largest Attack Since WWII
On the 5th, U.S. President Trump stated at an event in Las Vegas that he remains willing to reach an agreement with Iran.
He said that the U.S. had previously been prepared to launch “the largest military strike since World War II” against Iran, and has already carried out several heavy strikes on Iran in recent months.
Although Trump claimed that Iran requested the U.S. call off the attacks and restart negotiations, the Iranian side later denied the claim.