A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran has warned its neighbors they could become targets if they allow the US to use their territory or airspace as part of an assault on Iran's nuclear facilities. He added that Tehran has rejected Washington's demand for direct talks and is interested in continuing indirect negotiations through Oman.
According to the report, the warning was delivered to the UAE, Bahrain, Turkey, Kuwait and Iraq, stating that any support for a US strike, including the use of airspace or territory (for example, Qatar hosts the largest American base in the region), would be considered a hostile act. Such an act "will lead to severe consequences for them," the official warned, adding that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has placed the country's forces "on high alert," according to the report.
Spokespeople for the governments of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq did not respond to the report. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it was unaware of the warning but acknowledged it may have been conveyed through other channels. On Wednesday, Iranian media reported that Kuwait had promised Iran it would not allow aggressive actions against other countries from its soil.
The same official also stated that Iran is rejecting the US demand to conduct direct negotiations regarding its nuclear program. According to the senior figure, Iran wishes to continue indirect talks via Oman, a longstanding backchannel for messages between the rival states.
"Indirect talks make it possible to assess Washington's seriousness about a political solution with Iran," the official said. Although the diplomatic route may be "challenging," such talks could begin soon if the American messages support it.
Another senior Iranian official told the news agency that Iran is also seeking additional support from Russia, though it remains skeptical of Moscow's commitment. "It depends on the dynamics" between former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the official said.
