Saudi Arabia signals possible retaliation if Iran continues attacks on its territory
Iranian sources confirm that Tehran has already received a warning from Riyadh about a possible response, while the Kingdom remains open to mediation efforts or initiatives aimed at reducing tensions and reaching a political settlement through negotiations.
Saudi Arabia has warned Iran that continued attacks targeting its territory or vital facilities, particularly in the energy sector, could prompt Riyadh to respond in kind, as regional tensions intensify amid the ongoing war between the Islamic Republic on one side and the United States and Israel on the other.
Four informed sources said that Saudi Arabia delivered this warning directly to Tehran, stressing that it prefers diplomatic solutions to the current conflict but will not hesitate to take defensive measures if its territory or critical infrastructure continues to be targeted.
The Saudi warning came hours before a speech by Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian in which he attempted to ease tensions with Gulf states, after Iranian strikes that hit several countries in the region triggered widespread anger.
According to the sources, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi two days before Pezeshkian’s speech. During the call, he presented Riyadh’s position in direct terms, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia remains open to mediation efforts or initiatives aimed at de-escalation and achieving a political settlement through negotiations.
The Saudi foreign minister also stressed that his country, along with other Gulf states, has not allowed the United States to use its territory, airspace, or territorial waters to launch attacks against Iran, in an attempt to prevent the region from sliding into a broader confrontation.
However, the sources noted that Riyadh also informed Tehran that continued Iranian attacks on the Kingdom or its energy facilities could force it to reconsider this position. This could include allowing U.S. forces to use its military bases to conduct operations against Iran, as well as directly responding to any targeting of its critical infrastructure.
The sources added that since the outbreak of the military confrontation on February 28, Saudi Arabia has maintained open communication channels with Tehran through its ambassador in an effort to contain tensions and prevent the conflict from expanding into the Gulf region.
Several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, have been targeted by missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran. These strikes caused damage to civilian facilities and infrastructure, raising growing concerns that the war could spread to the territory of regional states.
The war began after attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran, followed by an Iranian response targeting Israel and sites described as linked to American interests in the region. The confrontation also expanded to include Israeli strikes against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group in Lebanon.
In an attempt to contain regional escalation, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stated that his country does not seek to target neighboring states, emphasizing that Tehran does not wish to expand the scope of the conflict. He also noted that the temporary leadership council had approved suspending attacks against neighboring countries unless their territories or airspace were used to launch operations against the Islamic Republic.
Pezeshkian issued a brief apology to regional countries affected by the attacks, in what appeared to be an attempt to contain the growing anger in the Gulf. However, reports simultaneously indicated that new strikes had occurred in some countries in the region, raising questions about the extent to which the Iranian president’s statements reflect the situation on the ground.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he remains in continuous contact with his Saudi counterpart and other officials in the Kingdom, noting that Riyadh has stressed during these exchanges that it does not allow the use of its territory, airspace, or territorial waters to launch attacks against Iran.
Nevertheless, signs have emerged of internal differences within Iran’s military and political institutions regarding the course of escalation. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified operational command of Iran’s armed forces, announced that U.S. and Israeli bases in the region would remain potential military targets.
The statement added that the Iranian armed forces respect the sovereignty of neighboring states but would consider U.S. and Israeli land, naval, and air military bases and facilities in the region as primary targets if the conflict continues.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran’s apology to regional countries demonstrates the pressure Tehran is facing as a result of the ongoing American and Israeli military operations.
In a post on social media platforms, Trump wrote that Iran “apologized to its Middle Eastern neighbors and promised not to fire on them again,” adding that this development came as a result of the continued strikes against it.
Two Iranian sources confirmed that a phone call took place between Saudi and Iranian officials during which Riyadh warned Tehran against targeting the Kingdom or neighboring Gulf states. They added that Iran responded by emphasizing that its operations do not target the Gulf countries themselves but rather American military bases and related interests.
One Iranian source explained that Tehran has asked regional countries to close American military bases and stop sharing intelligence with Washington, which Iran believes is being used to carry out attacks against it.
By contrast, another Iranian source indicated that some military commanders inside Iran are pressing to continue strikes across the region, arguing that the United States is using military bases in Gulf countries as well as their airspace to conduct operations against the Islamic Republic.
Relations between Iran and several Gulf states had improved significantly in recent years, particularly after the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh. However, the recent military escalation and the accompanying drone and missile attacks have revived tensions and threatened the diplomatic efforts made in recent years to ease regional disputes.
