Iran Warns Gulf States Against Assisting US Military as USS George Washington Redeploys to Middle East
Tehran says any support for US operations would amount to direct participation in the conflict, warning Gulf states that Iran is closely monitoring regional military activity
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran’s armed forces on Wednesday warned Gulf countries against providing assistance or facilitating US military operations against Iran, saying such support would be considered direct participation in the conflict.
“We wish to warn that any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressor US military amounts to participation in the US military operation,” Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Ali Abdollahi, said, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Abdollahi questioned how a large number of US military aircraft, particularly aerial refueling tankers, could be stationed at regional bases without the knowledge of the countries hosting them.
“It seems unlikely that such a large number of military aircraft, particularly refueling aircraft, could be present at regional bases without knowledge of host countries,” he said.
He also addressed Gulf states that have publicly said they would not allow the United States to use their territory to launch attacks against Iran.
“The countries bordering the Persian Gulf, which have issued various statements saying they would not allow the United States to use their territory against Iran, should know that we are fully aware of the situation,” Abdollahi said.
The warning comes as the United States redeploys the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of deteriorating living conditions for the Lincoln’s crew.
The latest Iranian warning comes amid the ongoing US-Iran war, which began on February 28 following US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Tehran subsequently retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US military positions across the region.
Iran has repeatedly warned regional countries against allowing their territory, airspace, or military facilities to be used in operations against the Islamic Republic, raising concerns over the potential for the conflict to widen across the Gulf.