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6 April, Tehran – Iran has strongly rejected the US demand for direct talks over its nuclear programme or the development of nuclear weapons, warning Gulf states that the deployment of US bases on their territory could put them in the potential firing line in the event of a conflict. A senior Iranian official told Reuters in an interview on condition of anonymity.
Despite the refusal to engage in direct contacts, Iran has declared its readiness to continue indirect negotiations through Oman, the traditional intermediary between Tehran and Washington.
“Indirect talks allow us to assess how serious Washington is about a political settlement with Iran,” the Iranian representative said.
According to him, the dialogue may be “thorny”, but with US support, it can begin in the near future.
Iran has sent official notices to Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain warning that any support from these states during a possible US attack – in particular, providing airspace or territory for US operations – would be considered an act of hostility.
“Such a step will have serious consequences for them,” the official stressed. He also noted that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has put the armed forces on high alert.
The situation in the Middle East remains tense amid the war in Gaza and Lebanon, strikes on Yemen, regime change in Syria and open clashes between Israel and Iran. Donald Trump’s warnings about the possibility of a military operation against Iran further increase the degree of tension.
The Persian Gulf, a key region for global oil supplies, is becoming a geopolitical hub where every state is forced to balance American influence with fear of escalation from Iran.
The press services of the governments of Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have not yet commented on the Iranian warning. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said it had no information about the official notification, but did not rule out that it could have come through other channels.
Iranian state media reported that Kuwait had assured Tehran of its neutral position and would not allow its territory to be used for attacks against other countries.
Against this background, Russia, an ally of Iran, condemned the US threats and called for restraint. At the same time, according to another Iranian official, Tehran is sceptical about the depth of Russian support.
“It depends on the dynamics of the relationship between Trump and Putin,” he stressed.
Iran continues to manoeuvre between open confrontation and attempts to maintain diplomatic channels. However, warnings to its neighbours and military mobilisation show that Tehran is preparing for a possible military scenario.
