Iran has issued a strong warning to regional and global powers to avoid involvement in its ongoing war with the United States and Israel, as tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
The warning came on Sunday amid reports that a military base in Kuwait hosting American and Italian troops had been targeted in a drone attack. Authorities in Italy confirmed that the incident destroyed an unmanned aircraft but did not result in casualties.
The developments underscore the widening scope of the conflict, which has already triggered global concerns about security, energy supplies, and the possibility of further regional escalation.
Iran’s warning followed claims by Tehran that it possesses significant evidence showing that U.S. military bases located in neighbouring countries were being used to launch attacks against its territory.
The Iranian government has therefore cautioned countries hosting American forces to reconsider their involvement in the conflict, suggesting that continued cooperation with Washington could draw them deeper into the war.
The statement from Tehran came only a day after Donald Trump urged other countries to cooperate with Washington in securing the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The strait, one of the most important energy corridors in the world, has been severely affected since the conflict began. Its closure has disrupted global shipping routes and sent shockwaves through international energy markets.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, took to the social media platform X to argue that the presence of foreign military forces in the region had only intensified tensions rather than discouraging aggression.
According to Araghchi, the U.S. security presence in the Middle East had effectively “invited trouble” rather than acting as a stabilising force.
He urged neighbouring states to expel foreign troops operating from their territories, describing them as aggressors contributing to the ongoing conflict.
“This war will end when we are certain that it will not be repeated and that reparations will be paid,” Araghchi said during an interview with the Arabic-language media platform Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Meanwhile, the situation escalated further when a drone strike targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base, which hosts American and Italian military personnel.
According to the Italian military, the attack destroyed one of its unmanned aerial vehicles stationed at the facility. However, officials said the strike did not cause injuries or fatalities.
Antonio Tajani sought to downplay the incident, emphasising that Italy was not directly involved in the conflict.
“We are not at war with anyone,” Tajani said while commenting on the attack. He noted that it was the second strike targeting an Italian military facility in the Middle East within the week.
In a separate development, authorities in Baghdad reported that rockets struck the city’s international airport, wounding at least five people.
The airport complex houses a U.S. diplomatic facility, making it a potential target in the widening conflict.
The escalation has had significant consequences for the global economy, particularly in the energy sector.
Oil prices have surged dramatically since Iran retaliated against a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign that reportedly resulted in the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
In response to those strikes, Tehran threatened to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas exports typically pass.
The threat to the strategic corridor has rattled global markets and raised fears of a major energy supply crisis.
President Trump reacted to the situation by calling on several countries to deploy naval forces to help escort oil tankers passing through the region.
In remarks quoted by U.S. media outlets, Trump urged nations including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom to collaborate with the United States to safeguard maritime shipping.
However, most of the countries mentioned have responded cautiously, stopping short of committing to military action.
In a diplomatic exchange with Jean-Noel Barrot, Iran’s foreign minister warned against any steps that might escalate the situation further.
Araghchi urged foreign governments to refrain from involvement that could intensify hostilities and prolong the conflict.
The British government has also adopted a cautious stance. The UK Ministry of Defence said discussions were ongoing with allies regarding possible measures to secure maritime trade routes.
“We are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping,” the ministry stated.
Similarly, Ed Miliband told the BBC that the immediate priority should be reducing tensions.
“The plan now has to be to de-escalate the conflict,” Miliband said, adding that various strategies were being explored to ensure that global shipping could continue safely.
In Asia, officials in South Korea said they were carefully monitoring the situation and assessing the implications of Trump’s proposal for naval escorts.
Meanwhile, Takayuki Kobayashi indicated that Japan faced significant legal and political hurdles before it could deploy naval vessels to the region.
According to Kobayashi, the threshold required under Japan’s existing laws to authorise such a deployment remained extremely high.
Despite the cautious responses from other countries, the economic impact of the crisis has already been severe.
Global oil prices have surged by as much as 40 percent, largely due to disruptions caused by Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf states.
To stabilise global energy supplies, the International Energy Agency announced plans to release emergency oil reserves.
The agency confirmed that its member countries had agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles.
According to the agency, countries in the Asia-Oceania region would begin releasing reserves immediately, while nations in the Americas and Europe would follow in the coming weeks.
Even as global markets struggle with the fallout, President Trump signalled that Washington intends to maintain pressure on Tehran.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump suggested that Iran was eager to negotiate but that the United States would continue its military operations until more favourable terms could be secured.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said.
However, Iran has rejected the suggestion that it is seeking negotiations.
During an appearance on Face the Nation on the CBS, Foreign Minister Araghchi insisted that Tehran had no immediate plans to reopen talks with Washington.
“We are stable and strong enough,” Araghchi said. “We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has indicated that its campaign in Iran is far from over.
Effie Defrin said Israel continued to identify new targets within Iran.
“We still have thousands of targets in Iran, and we are identifying new targets every day,” Defrin said.
Despite the ongoing conflict, daily life in Tehran has gradually begun to stabilise.
Observers reported that traffic had increased compared to previous weeks, while some cafes and restaurants had reopened.
At the popular Tajrish Bazaar, more than one-third of the shops were operating again as residents prepared for the upcoming Nowruz.
Residents were also seen lining up at automated teller machines to withdraw cash after disruptions to online banking services at Bank Melli.
Similar conditions were reported in other parts of the country.
In the northern city of Tonekabon, located near the Caspian Sea, residents said markets remained crowded despite rising prices.
A local resident identified as Ali told journalists that most shops were open and functioning normally, although public demonstrations organised by the government continued to take place at night.
The humanitarian impact of the war has been severe. According to figures released by Iran’s health ministry, more than 1,200 people have been killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes.
The numbers have not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that as many as 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran since the conflict began.
The Pentagon has stated that American and Israeli forces have struck more than 15,000 targets inside Iran since the war erupted.
As the conflict continues to expand across the region, fears remain high that further escalation could draw additional countries into one of the most dangerous geopolitical crises in recent years.
