• Wion
  • /World
  • /Iran warns US military, commercial bases would be 'legitimate targets' if Washington intervenes

Iran warns US military, commercial bases would be 'legitimate targets' if Washington intervenes

Iran warns US military, commercial bases would be 'legitimate targets' if Washington intervenes

Photograph: (AFP)

Story highlights

Amid mounting rhetoric and repeated threats of military intervention from US President Donald Trump, Iran’s parliament speaker warned that Tehran would consider US bases ‘legitimate targets’ in the event of American military action in Iran.

Amid heightened tension with the United States over ongoing protests, Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned that Tehran would consider American military and commercial bases as "legitimate targets" for retaliation if Washington intervenes militarily amid ongoing unrest in the country. "If the US takes military action towards Iran or the occupied territories, the US military and shipping centres will be considered legitimate targets," Qalibaf said. "We do not limit ourselves to only reacting after an action has been taken," he added.

Qalibaf's remarks come amid the Trump Administration's mounting rhetoric as protests in the Islamic Republic entered their 14th consecutive day. The US president on Friday cautioned Iranian authorities against using brutal force to quell the protests and warned that the US will get involved if protesters are killed and would hit the country where it hurts.

"Iran's in big trouble," Trump said, adding that "if they start killing people as they have in the past, we will get involved. We will be hitting them very hard where it hurts, and that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very hard where it hurts, so we don't want that to happen."

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Trump hinted at troubles for the Khamenei regime and reaffirmed US support for Iranian protesters on social media, saying "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before," Trump posted on Saturday. "The USA stands ready to help!"

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the protests in Iran alongside the recent developments in Syria and Gaza. Rubio later affirmed American support to demonstrators posting "United States "supports the brave people of Iran".

Trending Stories

The protests, which began as small demonstrations in markets of Iran's capital city, Tehran, against the rising concerns over the cost of living and raging economic crisis, now entered their fourteenth consecutive day despite a massive security crackdown and complete internet blackout.

Protesters have demanded the end of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei-led regime. Anti-regime chants filled the streets of Tehran, while Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah, has hinted that he would return and urged protesters to continue the demonstrations.


Meanwhile, the Iranian Army issued a strong warning that it will defend the country's "national interests" and that it is monitoring enemy movements in the region, Al Jazeera reported.

Related Stories

About the Author

Ajaypal Choudhary

Driven by a deep interest in international politics and geo-economics, Ajaypal Choudhary writes on and analyses a wide range of subjects from geopolitics and the global economy to ...Read More