Major General Ali Abdollahi, who is the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces has given a warning to the states near the Persian Gulf. He said that if these Arab states help the US military in any way such as letting them use their airspace Iran will see this as an act of war against Tehran.
Major General Ali Abdollahi made this statement on Wednesday. In it he talked to the countries near the Persian Gulf that have said they will not let their land or airspace be used to attack Iran. Major General Ali Abdollahi said that Iran is watching all the activity in the region very closely. He does not believe that some bases, in the region are acting without the knowledge of the governments of these countries. Major General Ali Abdollahi and the Iranian Armed Forces are taking this seriously.
Abdollahi specifically highlighted the heightened deployment of American military aircraft, particularly heavy aerial refueling tankers, stationed at installations across the Gulf. He argued that operations of such scale could not occur without the explicit consent and operational awareness of host nations. Tehran warned that providing facilities, landing rights, or operational support to American forces renders those nations co-belligerents in the eyes of the Iranian military.
The warning marks a significant escalation in Iranian coercive diplomacy aimed at neutralizing U.S. power projection capabilities in the Middle East. Over recent weeks, Iranian officials have signaled that regional energy installations, transport corridors, and military hubs hosting foreign personnel could face direct targeting should regional infrastructure be leveraged to support allied strikes against Iranian sovereign assets.
Despite diplomatic efforts by regional capitals to prevent a wider escalation, the statement underscores the growing friction between Gulf states seeking neutrality and Tehran’s insistence on the complete cessation of foreign military activities within the Persian Gulf.
