Iran puts Saudi, UAE and Turkey on notice: 'Block the strike or US bases on your soil get hit'

Iran has warned Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey that US military bases in their countries could be targeted if Washington attacks, as protests and US-Iran tensions escalate.

• Iran warns US bases in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey could be targeted if attacked
• Tehran urges regional countries to help prevent a US strike on Iran
• European leaders plan new sanctions over Iran's protest crackdown

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Iran has told several regional countries that United States military bases on their soil could be targeted if Washington carries out an attack, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The warning was conveyed to governments in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, the official said, urging them to help prevent a US strike on Iran.

Tehran’s warning comes as US–Iran tensions escalate

According to the official’s account, Tehran told those partners that any US military action against Iran would put American bases in their countries 'in Iran’s crosshairs,' a formulation that signals a broader regional threat beyond Tehran’s borders.

The report came as Donald Trump on Wednesday used his social platform to say “HELP IS ON ITS WAY” for Iranian protesters and cancelled talks with Tehran, underscoring deepening tensions between the two capitals.

Iran’s earlier public threat on retaliation

On January 11, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that in the event of a US attack, both US military bases and shipping would be legitimate targets for retaliation, signalling Tehran’s readiness to respond beyond its own territory.

Internet blackout and protests add pressure

Iran’s widescale internet outage has sharply restricted information flow inside the country, with services off for more than five days amid protests that rights groups say have killed thousands. The communication blackout has made it difficult to independently verify casualty figures and complicates efforts by diplomats and media to gauge the situation on the ground.

European and global reactions

European leaders have condemned the crackdown on protests and announced plans for expanded sanctions, with Ursula von der Leyen saying Brussels would swiftly propose new measures targeting those responsible. Russia has condemned foreign interference in Iran’s internal affairs, framing US pressure as unacceptable.