Iran has warned Gulf nations that any new US military strike on its territory would trigger retaliatory attacks on critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The warning was reportedly delivered through a series of high-level diplomatic contacts after US President Donald Trump threatened on July 28 to target Iran’s energy facilities and infrastructure.
According to sources, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held discussions with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, as well as Pakistan’s army chief, urging Washington’s regional allies to persuade Trump to avoid further military action.
Araqchi reportedly warned that any attack on Iran would result in retaliation against US assets and energy facilities throughout the Gulf.
One senior regional diplomat said Iran delivered the same message during every conversation.
“We are prepared to retaliate, but diplomacy remains the best way to avoid wider escalation and destruction across the region,” the diplomat quoted Iran as saying.
A Gulf source described the warning as unequivocal, stating that Tehran had made it clear Gulf energy infrastructure would become a target if the United States attacked Iran.
The diplomatic efforts highlight Iran’s strategy of increasing the potential cost of military action by placing pressure on Gulf states that host US military bases and rely heavily on energy exports.
Following the warning, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly spoke with Trump, urging him to postpone military action, resume negotiations with Tehran and pursue a ceasefire instead.
Sources said the warning was intended for all Gulf countries but was mainly conveyed through Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two nations that have maintained diplomatic channels with Tehran in recent years.
Meanwhile, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia have all encouraged Washington to return to diplomatic talks to prevent a wider regional conflict.
Trump announced on August 2 that he had agreed to suspend a planned military strike on Iran, provided both sides could quickly reach an agreement.
Despite advocating diplomacy, Saudi Arabia also reportedly informed Iran that it would respond militarily if its own territory came under attack.
Iranian officials warned that any future US strike would be met with attacks targeting oil fields, refineries, electricity grids, water infrastructure, transport networks and other strategic facilities across the Gulf.
One Iranian official referenced the 2019 attacks on Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which temporarily disrupted more than half of Saudi Arabia’s crude oil production, as an example of the vulnerability of regional energy infrastructure.
According to regional sources, Tehran hopes the threat of economic disruption will encourage Gulf governments to pressure Washington into avoiding another military confrontation.
However, diplomats said a major obstacle to any agreement remains Washington’s desire to secure an outcome that can be presented domestically as a clear strategic victory.
