Tehran has warned Gulf states that it would be "unacceptable" if they allowed their airspace to be used for actions against Iran, and that any such move would provoke a response, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
The official made these remarks as Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, traveled to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states for discussions, the report said.
The comments also followed talks between Iran and Gulf Arab states during an Asia conference in Qatar last week, where Gulf states aimed to reassure Iran of their neutrality in any potential conflict between Tehran and Israel.
"Iran made it clear that any action by a Persian Gulf country against Tehran, whether through the use of airspace or military bases, will be regarded by Tehran as an action taken by the entire group, and Tehran will respond accordingly," the senior Iranian official told Reuters.
"The message emphasized the need for regional unity against Israel and the importance of securing stability. It also made clear that any assistance to Israel, such as allowing the use of a regional country’s airspace for actions against Iran, is unacceptable," he added.
A Western diplomat in the Gulf stated that in the Gulf-Iran meeting held on Thursday in Doha, Iran had strongly emphasized the need for regional unity in the face of any Israeli attack. Iran also stressed that neutrality from Gulf states would be the bare minimum expected.
According to the diplomat, Iran warned that it would closely monitor the responses of Gulf countries in the event of an Israeli strike, particularly observing how US bases within those countries might be utilized.
The report comes as it is widely expected that Israel will retaliate against Iran for its ballistic missile attack on Israel last week.
US President Joe Biden stated last Wednesday that he opposes an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
“The answer is no,” Biden said when questioned about the prospect of Israel launching a retaliatory strike on sites related to Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
On Friday, Biden said he would weigh "alternatives" to striking Iran's oil fields, a move which would devastate Iran's economy, if he were in Israel's place.
"If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oilfields," Biden said.
Former President Donald Trump stated that he believes Israel should strike Iran's nuclear facilities and criticized Biden for opposing such strikes.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told CNN on Sunday that Israel is working in close coordination with the United States as it prepares for a potential strike on Iran, but will ultimately make its own decisions on how to respond.
“Everything is on the table,” Gallant said, adding, “Israel has capabilities to hit targets near and far — we have proved it. We will respond to the Iranian attack appropriately. We will not stand by and neither should the international community.”