Amid escalating tensions fueled by US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats of intervention in Iran’s ongoing protests, Tehran has delivered a pointed message to regional countries hosting American military forces. A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, revealed that Iran has cautioned nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey that US bases on their soil would face attacks should Washington launch military action against the Islamic Republic.
The warning forms part of Tehran’s strategy to discourage any US involvement in the widespread unrest gripping the country, where authorities continue a severe crackdown on demonstrators challenging clerical rule. Rights group HRANA has verified the deaths of 2,403 protesters and 147 individuals linked to the government, with an Iranian official citing a toll of around 2,000 killed. The protests represent one of the most significant challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent history.
Trump has intensified his rhetoric over recent days, vowing “very strong action” in a CBS News interview if Iran proceeds with executions of protesters. “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,” he stated, while also encouraging Iranians to persist in their demonstrations and seize control of institutions, proclaiming that “help is on the way.” An Israeli official indicated that Trump has resolved to intervene, though details on the nature and timing remain uncertain.
In response to the heightened alerts, diplomats reported that some US personnel were advised to depart from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the primary American air facility in the region—by Wednesday evening. Officials characterized this as a precautionary “posture change” rather than a full evacuation, with no evidence of widespread troop movements comparable to those preceding Iran’s missile strikes on the base last year.
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Iranian officials have consistently blamed the United States and Israel for instigating the disturbances, labeling participants as terrorists. Direct diplomatic channels between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been paused, according to the Iranian source.
The unrest unfolds against a backdrop of Iran’s recovery from a recent 12-day conflict and setbacks to regional proxies like Hezbollah following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Despite the violence, a Western official assessed that the Iranian government maintains control through its security apparatus, with the crackdown restoring a degree of stability, though the regime has sustained notable damage.
Iran’s chief justice has called for rapid trials and punishments for those accused of extreme acts during the protests, while state media aired footage of large pro-government funerals in cities including Tehran and Isfahan, where attendees displayed loyalty to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump has also imposed 25% tariffs on imports from countries engaging in business with Iran, a major oil producer, and the US State Department has advised American citizens to leave the country immediately. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the repression as potentially the most violent in Iran’s modern history and urged it to end.
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