Saudi Arabia Warns Iran Against Attacks, Threatens Military Response

Saudi Arabia has delivered a stern warning to Iran to cease attacks on the kingdom and its energy infrastructure, threatening to allow U.S. forces to use Saudi bases for military operations if the strikes continue. The diplomatic message came before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly apologized to Gulf neighbors for Tehran's recent military actions. Multiple Gulf states have faced heavy drone and missile attacks from Iran over the past week.

Saudi Arabia has delivered a clear warning to Iran, demanding an end to attacks on the kingdom while threatening military retaliation if strikes against Saudi territory and energy facilities persist, according to four sources with knowledge of the communications.

The diplomatic warning was delivered before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a public apology on Saturday to Gulf nations for Tehran’s recent military actions, which appeared designed to calm regional tensions after Iranian strikes damaged civilian areas.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan communicated Riyadh’s stance directly to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during a phone conversation two days prior, the sources revealed.

According to the sources, Prince Faisal emphasized Saudi Arabia’s willingness to support diplomatic mediation efforts focused on reducing tensions and reaching a negotiated resolution. He stressed that neither Saudi Arabia nor other Gulf nations had permitted the United States to utilize their airspace or territory for launching attacks against Iran.

However, the Saudi minister also made clear that continued Iranian assaults on Saudi soil or energy infrastructure would compel the kingdom to authorize U.S. military forces to operate from Saudi bases, the sources indicated. Prince Faisal warned that Saudi Arabia would strike back if attacks on the nation’s vital energy installations persisted.

The kingdom has maintained ongoing diplomatic communication with Tehran through its ambassador since U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran commenced on February 28, following the breakdown of negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, sources said.

Neither the Saudi nor Iranian foreign ministries provided responses to requests for comment.

Over the past week, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have all experienced intensive drone and missile bombardment from Iranian forces.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the opening day of the conflict. In response, Tehran launched attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab nations that host U.S. military installations, while Israel has targeted Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hezbollah militant organization.

During a Saturday interview, Araqchi confirmed ongoing communication with his Saudi counterpart and other Saudi leadership, stating that Riyadh had guaranteed Tehran it remained fully dedicated to preventing the use of its territory, waters or airspace for operations against Iran.

Pezeshkian announced that Iran’s interim leadership council had authorized halting attacks on neighboring nations, with the exception of cases where Iran faces assault from those countries.

“I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” he stated.

The significance of Pezeshkian’s statements remains uncertain, as additional reports emerged Saturday of continued strikes targeting Gulf states.

Suggesting potential disagreements within Iran’s leadership structure, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which serves as the unified command center for Iranian military forces, released a statement declaring that U.S. and Israeli bases and interests throughout the region would continue as targets.

The command emphasized that Iran’s military respected neighboring states’ sovereignty and interests, claiming no direct action had been taken against them. However, it designated U.S. and Israeli military installations and assets on land, sea and in the air across the region as primary targets that would face “powerful and heavy” attacks from Iranian forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran had “apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbours, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack.”

Two Iranian sources verified that a phone conversation occurred in which Riyadh instructed Tehran to cease attacks on Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf nations. Iran reportedly restated its position that the strikes targeted U.S. interests and military installations hosted on Gulf territory, rather than the Gulf countries directly.

One Iranian source revealed that Tehran had demanded the closure of U.S. bases in the region and called for certain Gulf states to cease sharing intelligence with Washington that Iran suspects is being utilized for attacks against it.

Another Iranian source indicated that some military commanders were advocating for continued strikes, claiming the U.S. was utilizing Gulf state bases and airspace to conduct operations against Iran.

Iran had recently improved relations with its Gulf neighbors, including former regional rival Saudi Arabia. This diplomatic progress collapsed amid the barrage of drones and missiles launched by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards over the past week.