Iran warns Gulf states: US attack will trigger retaliation on energy targets
Iran has cautioned Gulf states that any new United States attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to five sources familiar with the matter. The warning was delivered through a series of high-level diplomatic contacts after US President Donald Trump threatened on July 28, 2026, to strike Iran’s energy network, the sources said.
Two senior Iranian officials, two Gulf sources, and a senior regional diplomat with knowledge of the discussions said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Saudi, Turkish and Qatari counterparts, as well as Pakistan’s Army chief. All spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Araghchi urged Washington’s Gulf allies to use their influence with President Trump to dissuade him from launching renewed strikes, the senior diplomat said, warning that any attack on Iran would prompt retaliation against US assets and energy facilities across the Gulf.
His message was consistent in every conversation, the diplomat said: “We’re ready to retaliate, but finding a diplomatic solution is the best way to avoid wider escalation and destruction across the region.”
One Gulf source said the Iranian warning was unequivocal: if America targeted Iran’s infrastructure, Iran would retaliate by striking Gulf energy facilities and other regional targets. The diplomatic manoeuvring underscores how Iran is attempting to use the threat of wider regional destruction as leverage against further US strikes, putting Gulf states that host US military bases and depend on energy exports in a difficult position between Washington and Tehran.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman subsequently spoke with President Trump, urging him to delay military action, return to negotiations, secure a ceasefire and pursue a diplomatic settlement, according to the senior diplomat and Gulf sources.
The warning was intended for every Gulf state, another Gulf source said, but was conveyed primarily through Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Iran has in recent years repaired ties with its Gulf neighbours, including former regional rival Saudi Arabia.
Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia have all urged Washington to resume talks with Tehran and avert renewed conflict amid Iranian warnings that another round of US strikes could “turn the region into a fireball”, the second Iranian official said. On August 2, President Trump said he agreed to cancel the attack on Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a deal.”
“Saudi Arabia believes further escalation will only bring more destruction,” the first Gulf source said. “That is why it urged Trump to give diplomacy a chance.”
While urging Washington to pursue diplomacy, Riyadh also made clear it would defend itself if threatened. The second Gulf source said Saudi Arabia warned that any attack on its territory would be met with a military response.
Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the Royal Court, said the kingdom’s assessment is that further escalation is unlikely to achieve the desired result. “The Kingdom believes a combination of proportionate military responses and sustained pressure on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz offers the strongest path toward a practical diplomatic settlement,” Shihabi said.
Iran’s clerical leadership has repeatedly demanded the closure of US military bases in the Gulf and called on Gulf Arab states to stop sharing intelligence with Washington, which Tehran believes has been used to facilitate attacks against it.
According to one Iranian official, Tehran’s warning made clear that any new US strike would be met with attacks on energy facilities, refineries, electricity grids, water infrastructure, transport networks and oil fields across the Gulf.
The sources said the situation remains fluid, with diplomatic efforts continuing alongside preparations for a possible military confrontation. The coming days may determine whether the two sides can return to the negotiating table or if the region faces another cycle of conflict.
