Iran has warned the United States that any attempt to intervene in the ongoing protests in the country would lead to att@cks on American military bases across the Middle East, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
The warning comes amid rising tensions following repeated comments by U.S. President Donald Trump expressing support for Iranian protesters. Rights groups say thousands of people have been k+lled in what are described as Iran’s largest protests in decades.
According to three diplomats, some personnel were advised to leave the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening. The diplomats stressed that the move was a precautionary measure and not a full evacuation, similar to what preceded Iranian missile strikes last year. One diplomat described the step as a
“posture change” rather than an “ordered evacuation”.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump vowed “very strong action” if Iranian authorities execute protesters. “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,” he said.
Trump also urged Iranians to continue protesting and to seize control of institutions, adding that “help is on the way”.
The Iranian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had contacted U.S. allies in the region to prevent Washington from taking military action. He said Iran had warned countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey that U.S. military bases on their soil would be targeted if Washington att@cks Iran.
Information from inside Iran remains limited due to an internet blackout. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified 2,403 protester d+aths and 147 deaths among government-affiliated individuals. An Iranian official put the drath toll at about 2,000.
Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fueling the unrest, which they describe as terr+rism. Visiting a Tehran prison, Iran’s chief justice said swift trials and punishments for those accused of vi%lence were necessary to prevent future incidents.
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