Iran threatens to hit Gulf states if U.S. launches new strikes
Iran has warned Gulf states that it will retaliate against regional energy infrastructure if the U.S. launches new strikes on Iranian territory. Tehran is leveraging diplomatic channels to urge Gulf allies to dissuade President Trump from further military escalation.
Why it matters
The threat underscores the high risk of regional conflict and the vulnerability of global energy supplies to geopolitical tensions.
Iran has warned Gulf states that any new U.S. attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to five sources, as Tehran seeks to raise the cost of military action by threatening Washington’s closest regional allies. The warning was delivered through a flurry of high-level diplomatic contacts after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on July 28, 2026, to strike Iran’s energy network and infrastructure, the sources said.
Two senior Iranian officials, two Gulf sources and a senior regional diplomat with knowledge of the discussions said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Saudi, Turkish and Qatari counterparts, as well as Pakistan’s Army chief. All spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in