Iran Issues Ultimatum to Arab States: Help the US and the Gulf Will Burn
Iran has reportedly issued a stern warning to Gulf states that any new American attack on its territory will prompt retaliation against vital energy infrastructure throughout the region. According to five anonymous sources cited by Reuters on Thursday, the warning was delivered through a series of high-level diplomatic contacts, following President Donald Trump’s threat on 28 July to strike Iran’s energy networks and infrastructure.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reportedly spoke with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as the head of Pakistan’s army. Araqchi urged Washington’s Gulf allies to use their influence to prevent Trump from launching new strikes. In these discussions, he made clear that Iran is prepared to retaliate if its infrastructure is targeted, but stressed that a diplomatic solution remains the best path to avoid wider regional devastation.
One Gulf source stated, “Iran’s warning was very clear: if the US targets Iranian infrastructure, they will retaliate by striking energy facilities in the Gulf and other regional targets.” This diplomatic manoeuvre seeks to leverage the threat of regional destruction as a bargaining chip, placing Gulf states—which host US military bases and depend heavily on energy exports—in a precarious position.
Following the warning, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke directly with Trump, urging him to postpone military action, return to negotiations, and secure a ceasefire and diplomatic settlement. While the warning was directed at all Gulf states, it was primarily conveyed through Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In recent years, Iran has sought to improve relations with its Gulf neighbours.
Qatar and Oman have also encouraged Washington to resume talks with Tehran to avert conflict. On 2 August, Trump indicated he had agreed to call off strikes on Iran, contingent on the swift achievement of a diplomatic agreement. Meanwhile, Riyadh has stressed that while it urges the US to prioritise diplomacy, it will defend itself if threatened. Saudi analyst Ali Shihabi, who is close to the royal court, said the kingdom believes a combination of proportional military response and sustained pressure on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz offers the strongest route to a practical diplomatic solution.
Iran’s clerical leadership has repeatedly demanded the closure of all US military bases in the Gulf and urged Arab states to cease sharing intelligence with Washington, which it claims facilitates attacks on Iran. Iranian officials warned that any new US strike would be met with attacks on energy facilities, refineries, power grids, water infrastructure, transport networks, and oil fields across the Gulf. One official invoked the memory of the September 2019 drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which temporarily crippled more than half of the kingdom’s crude output and exposed the vulnerability of Gulf energy infrastructure.
By threatening critical economic assets, Tehran aims to convince Washington and its Arab partners that further military action would carry unacceptable economic and strategic consequences, effectively pushing regional states to pressure Trump to avoid escalation. From Tehran’s perspective, Trump now faces two unpalatable choices: trigger a conflict that could engulf the Gulf and disrupt global energy supplies, or accept a negotiated outcome that falls short of Washington’s desired victory. A senior regional diplomat noted that one of the main obstacles to a deal is American reluctance, adding, “The United States wants something it can present as proof that it won the war.”