Iran on Wednesday warned neighbouring countries that host US troops that American bases in the region could be targeted if Washington intervenes in protests inside Iran, a senior Iranian official told
Reuters.
The warning comes as US President Donald Trump has openly threatened to support protesters in Iran, where unrest has spread across the country and security forces have launched a harsh crackdown.
Three diplomats said some US personnel had been advised to leave Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the main American air base in the region, by Wednesday evening. However, they said there were no signs of a large-scale evacuation like the one carried out last year before an Iranian missile attack on the base.
One diplomat described the move as a “posture change” rather than an ordered withdrawal. There was no visible movement of troops to nearby civilian areas, as seen previously.
Trump has repeatedly warned of possible action against Iran. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, he said the United States would take “very strong action” if Iran executed protesters. He also urged Iranians to continue protesting and said that “help is on the way”, without giving details.
According to an Israeli official, Israel believes Trump has decided to intervene in some form, though the timing and scale remain unclear.
The senior Iranian official said Tehran had contacted US allies across the region, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, urging them to stop Washington from taking action.
“Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked,” the official said.
The official added that direct contacts between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended.
Iranian state media said senior officials had spoken with counterparts in Qatar, the UAE and Turkey to discuss regional tensions. Iran has accused the United States and Israel of stirring unrest.
Rights group HRANA said more than 2,400 protesters had been killed so far, with over 18,000 arrests reported. Iranian authorities dispute the figures.
(With inputs from Reuters)
