Iran Warns Gulf States of Retaliation on Energy Assets if US Attacks, Sources Say

Iran has delivered a stark warning to Gulf states through high-level diplomatic channels, stating that any new U.S. attack on its territory would provoke retaliatory strikes against critical energy infrastructure throughout the region. The message, intended to raise the strategic cost of military action for Washington and its allies, was conveyed after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran's own energy network on July 28, according to five sources who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

Diplomatic Pressure

The warning was reportedly delivered by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in conversations with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as with Pakistan's army chief. According to a senior regional diplomat and two Gulf sources, Araqchi urged these nations to use their influence to dissuade Washington from further military action.

The message was described as consistent and direct. "The Iranian warning was unequivocal: if America targeted Iran’s infrastructure, they would retaliate by striking Gulf energy facilities and other regional targets," one Gulf source said. The sources indicated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman subsequently spoke with President Trump, urging a return to diplomacy and a de-escalation of the conflict.

Market Risks and Strategic Calculations

Tehran's threat directly targets the economic stability of the Gulf and, by extension, global energy markets. By threatening retaliation against assets crucial to oil and gas exports, Iran is leveraging the region's economic vulnerability to deter a U.S. strike. This strategy recalls the September 2019 drone and missile attacks on Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which temporarily halved the kingdom's crude output and exposed the susceptibility of regional energy infrastructure.

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An Iranian official confirmed the scope of the threat, stating that any new U.S. strike would be met with attacks on a wide range of targets, including:

• Energy facilities and refineries
• Electricity grids and water infrastructure
• Transport networks and oil fields

A Region on Edge

This diplomatic maneuvering places U.S. allies in the Gulf, which host American military bases, in a precarious position between Washington and Tehran. While Saudi Arabia has urged the U.S. to pursue a diplomatic solution, it has also maintained it would defend itself if attacked, according to a Gulf source.

From Tehran's perspective, the strategy forces the U.S. into a difficult choice: risk a wider conflict that could severely disrupt global energy supplies and destabilize the region, or pursue a negotiated settlement. According to a senior Iranian official, this approach aims to convince Washington that the economic and strategic consequences of another attack on Iran would be unacceptably high.