After Donald Trump’s threat, Iran warns neighbours it could strike American bases if US intervenes

After US President Donald Trump’s sharp warning to Iran, the Islamic Republic has issued a scathing warning to its neighbours saying that it would strike on American bases there if US attacks Iran, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday. The statement came in the backdrop of US support to protestors claiming “very strict” actions if Tehran executes its arrested nationals.

Iranian authorities have alleged that the United States and Israel have been inciting violence in Iran and provoking its people through what the Islamic regime calls terrorists.

Trump’s threat to Iran

For many days Trump has been constantly threatening to intervene in the violence-ridden Iran where more than 2,000 people have been died after Ayatollah Khamenei’s Islamic regime launched a major crackdown on protestors, in what has been the largest anti-government protest in years.

Trump’s administration has not given any details of its intervention-scope, timing or way. In a post on the Truth Social platform, he said, “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!... HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” In another post he called the Iranian government’s response as “senseless killing”

The US president has time and again threatened to use the military if the Islamic Republic applied deadly force against anti-government protesters. He had earlier stated that his team was considering "very strong options" even as he confirmed that Iranian authorities had reached out to the US for negotiations.

In an interview with CBS News, Trump emphasised the US's stance on the situation, saying, “We will take very strong action if they do such a thing.” When asked about his end goal, he replied, “The end game is to win. I like winning”.

US troops move back from the Middle East

The United States is reportedly asking its troops to retreat from crucial bases in the Middle East as a precaution measure amid growing tensions in the region and Iranian threat, according to many media reports.

According to three diplomats, specific personnel were told to leave the region’s main US air base, but there were no immediate reports of a full-scale troop pullout like that carried out ahead of last year’s Iranian missile attack.

Citing these diplomats, Reuters said that some personnel had been advised to leave the US military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by the evening of January 14. One of them described the act as a “posture change” and not as an “ordered evacuation”. But there were no reports of a large-scale movement of troops off the base to nearby areas.