Iran has warned the United States that any attempt to intervene in the ongoing protests across the country would trigger attacks on American military bases in the Middle East, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
The warning comes amid escalating tensions following repeated statements by U.S. President Donald Trump expressing support for Iranian protesters. Human rights organisations say thousands of people have been killed in what they describe as Iran’s largest wave of protests in decades.
According to three diplomats familiar with the matter, some U.S. personnel were advised to leave the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening.
The diplomats stressed that the move was precautionary and did not amount to a full evacuation, similar to measures taken before Iranian missile strikes last year. One diplomat described the development as a “posture change” rather than an “ordered evacuation.”
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, President Trump warned of “very strong action” should Iranian authorities execute protesters. “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,” he said. Trump also urged Iranians to continue protesting and to take control of institutions, adding that “help is on the way.”
The Iranian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had contacted U.S. allies in the region in an effort to deter Washington from taking military action.
According to the official, Iran warned countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey that U.S. military bases located on their territory would be targeted if the United States attacks Iran.
Information from inside Iran remains limited due to an ongoing internet blackout. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified 2,403 protester deaths and 147 deaths among government-affiliated individuals. An Iranian official, however, placed the overall death toll at around 2,000.
Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fomenting the unrest, which they have described as acts of terrorism. During a visit to a Tehran prison, Iran’s chief justice said swift trials and punishments for those accused of violence were necessary to prevent further instability.
