Iran Focuses Attacks on US Interests in Gulf Region

Iran’s military is reported to be concentrating its attacks on US interests in the Gulf region, including military bases and energy infrastructure, amid escalating regional tensions.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hassan Ahmadian, an academic from the University of Tehran, assessed that it would not be a rational choice for Iran to antagonise Gulf states through such attacks. “Not at all… I do not think that is a rational choice,” he stated when asked whether Iran’s decision to attack the surrounding region risked deteriorating relations with Gulf states.

However, Ahmadian explained that according to the Iranian government’s official position, Iran is targeting US forces, bases, and interests in the region. These interests, he noted, also encompass the global oil and gas market.

According to Ahmadian, Iran is attempting to “harm the United States in a manner that can also impact many parties in the region”. He added that Tehran is targeting energy infrastructure in Gulf states to increase pressure on Washington, with the intention of persuading the US to reconsider its aggression towards Iran by driving up oil and energy prices in the global market.

Regional tensions in the Gulf over recent weeks have had direct consequences on global energy supply stability, given that the region represents one of the world’s largest centres for oil and gas production and distribution.