After Trump threats, Iran warns neighbours hosting US forces

Tehran warned neighbouring countries hosting US troops that American military bases in the region would be targeted if Washington intervenes in Iran, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, as tensions escalated over former US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to support protesters challenging Iran’s clerical leadership.

Three diplomats said some personnel had been advised to leave the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base by Wednesday evening. One diplomat described the move as a “posture change” rather than an ordered evacuation. There were no immediate signs of a large-scale troop withdrawal similar to that seen last year, when Iran launched missile strikes on the base in retaliation for US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. The US embassy in Doha declined immediate comment, while Qatar’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump has for days openly threatened intervention in Iran, without specifying the form it would take. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, he vowed “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters, warning, “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things.” He also urged Iranians to continue protesting and seize institutions, declaring that “help is on the way.” An Israeli official said intelligence assessments suggested Trump had decided to intervene, though the timing and scope remained unclear.

Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the unrest, which Tehran describes as acts of terrorism. A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had urged regional allies to prevent a US attack. “Iran has told countries from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Turkey that US bases in those countries will be attacked if the US targets Iran,” the official said. He added that direct contacts between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended.

The United States maintains a significant military presence across the region, including the forward headquarters of US Central Command at Al Udeid and the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. A Western official said Iran’s security apparatus remained firmly in control and that the crackdown had restored some calm, even though authorities were initially caught off guard by the scale of unrest.

The flow of information from inside Iran has been restricted by an internet blackout. The US-based HRANA rights group said it had verified the deaths of 2,403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals, while an Iranian official put the death toll at about 2,000. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the situation as “the most violent repression in Iran’s contemporary history” and said it must stop.

Iranian state television aired footage of large funeral processions in Tehran, Isfahan and Bushehr, showing mourners waving flags and holding portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. State media reported that senior Iranian officials had held calls with counterparts in Qatar, the UAE and Turkey, with Araqchi telling Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed that calm had prevailed and that Iran would defend its sovereignty against foreign interference.

Iran’s chief justice, visiting a Tehran prison holding detained protesters, called for swift trials and punishment of those accused of violent acts. HRANA reported more than 18,000 arrests so far. Hengaw, a Kurdish rights group, said a 26-year-old man arrested in connection with protests faced imminent execution, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim.

The unrest comes as Iran continues to recover from last year’s conflict with Israel, which weakened its regional position and damaged allies such as Hezbollah. An Israeli government official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet had been briefed on the risks of regime collapse or US intervention.

Trump said on Tuesday that military action remained among the options under consideration. “The killing looks like it’s significant, but we don’t know yet for certain,” he told reporters, adding that he was awaiting further briefings. On Monday, Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on products from any country doing business with Iran, and the US State Department urged American citizens to leave the country immediately.