Iran security chief threatens to strike US bases in Europe if used to bomb Tehran

Detailed summary

Iran warned that overseas US bases used to launch fresh strikes could face retaliation. The threat broadens the confrontation as Tehran maintains its nuclear and Hormuz conditions.

As Washington and Tehran remain locked in a tense standoff, Iran has issued a stark warning about the consequences of any fresh US attack. Tehran says its retaliation could extend far beyond the Middle East, with American military bases in Europe and other distant locations potentially becoming targets if they are used to launch strikes on Iranian territory.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Wednesday that Tehran would not limit its response to US bases close to Iran.

"If American aircraft take off from an American military base, even one located in a European country or some other distant region, to bomb Iran, we will strike those bases as well," Rezaei told Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen TV.

Rezaei said Iran's response to any fresh US military action would extend beyond facilities that have already come under attack. Iran's security chief said the country would target "America's more distant military installations -- including the ones we have not yet attacked".

"We may even strike certain islands that they assume are beyond the reach of our missiles," he added during the interview, which was conducted in Tehran.

The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against countries in the region hosting US military assets. Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq also entered the conflict, widening the confrontation across the Middle East.

Despite diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Pakistan, Rezaei said Tehran was not currently negotiating directly with Washington.

"I affirm that we are not conducting any talks with the Americans at the present time. There are no negotiations between the United States and us at present." He also dismissed reports that talks were taking place in Qatar, calling them "lies and slander" and claiming they were intended to ease economic pressure and push oil prices…

Rezae…

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