Tehran is issuing covert diplomatic warnings, threatening to target oil-rich Gulf Arab states and other US allies in the Middle East if their territories or airspace are used for attacks on Iran, Arab officials told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
Israel has threatened harsh retaliation after Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier this month. Some Israeli officials and commentators are pushing for significant strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure. In response, Iran has warned it will strike Israel’s civilian infrastructure and retaliate against any Arab state involved in facilitating such an attack, the officials told The Wall Street Journal.
The countries threatened by Iran include Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, all of which host US troops, according to the Arab officials. These countries have communicated to the Biden administration that they do not want their military infrastructure or airspace used by the U.S. or Israel for offensive actions against Iran, the officials added.
Although the Iranian threats remain vague, they have alarmed energy-rich Gulf states, which have long believed their oil facilities were shielded by American security guarantees, the Arab officials noted.
US defense officials confirmed that some regional partners have informed the Pentagon they do not want Israeli warplanes flying over their territories or US troops launching offensive actions from their soil. However, they have allowed US forces to conduct self-defense operations, the officials said.
Earlier this week, a senior Iranian official said that Tehran has warned Gulf states that it would be "unacceptable" if they allowed their airspace to be used for actions against Iran, and that any such move would provoke a response.
"Iran made it clear that any action by a Persian Gulf country against Tehran, whether through the use of airspace or military bases, will be regarded by Tehran as an action taken by the entire group, and Tehran will respond accordingly," the senior Iranian official told Reuters.
"The message emphasized the need for regional unity against Israel and the importance of securing stability. It also made clear that any assistance to Israel, such as allowing the use of a regional country’s airspace for actions against Iran, is unacceptable," he added.
US President Joe Biden stated last week that he opposes an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in retaliation for Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel.
“The answer is no,” Biden said when questioned about the prospect of Israel launching a retaliatory strike on sites related to Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Two days later, Biden said he would weigh "alternatives" to striking Iran's oil fields, a move which would devastate Iran's economy, if he were in Israel's place.
"If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oilfields," Biden said.
On Wednesday, Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call which dealt with the planned Israeli response to the Iranian missile attack.
Three US and Israeli officials told Axios on Thursday that Biden and Netanyahu have inched closer to an agreement regarding Israel's planned retaliation against Iran following the call.