Iran will attack U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by American forces deployed in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today.
He emphasized that this should not be interpreted as an attack on the host countries of those bases.
Araghchi was speaking to Qatari television Al Jazeera, a day after Tehran and Washington pledged to continue indirect negotiations on Iran’s nuclear issue, following what both sides described as positive talks held in Oman.
Although Araghchi did not specify a date for the next round of talks, U.S. President Donald Trump said they could be held as early as the beginning of next week.
“Both we and Washington believe the talks should take place soon,” Araghchi said, Reuters reported on its website.
Trump has threatened an attack on Iran after strengthening the U.S. military presence in the region, demanding that Tehran abandon uranium enrichment out of concern it could produce nuclear weapons, as well as halt the development of ballistic missiles and support for armed groups across the region. Iran has long denied any intention to militarize its nuclear program.
Although both sides signal readiness to revive diplomacy over Iran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Araghchi rejected the possibility of expanding the talks to other issues.
“Any dialogue requires restraint from threats and pressure. Tehran is talking exclusively about the nuclear issue. We are not discussing other topics with the U.S.,” he said.
Last June, the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining an Israeli attack on the country that lasted 12 days.
Tehran subsequently announced that it had suspended uranium enrichment.
Iran’s response at the time included a missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar, a country that maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.
In the event of a new U.S. attack, the consequences could be similar, Araghchi said.
“We would not be able to attack U.S. territory, but we would target their bases in the region. We will not attack neighboring countries, but the American bases located in them. That is a big difference,” he added.
Iran says it wants its right to enrich uranium to be recognized and that including the missile program in the negotiations would leave the country vulnerable to potential Israeli attacks.
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Source: N1, Foto: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS