Iran's Chilling Warning To US, Israel If Gulf Islands Attacked: 'Will Abandon All Restraint'

Iran's powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Thursday that Tehran will "abandon all restraint" if the United States and Israel attack any of its islands in the Gulf.

"Any aggression against soil of Iranian islands will shatter all restraint. We will abandon all restraint and make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders," said Ghalibaf in a post on X.

It was not immediately clear which islands he was referring to, but a recent Axios report cited US officials as saying that capturing Kharg was on the table as the war in the Middle East spirals.

Why Gulf States Bet On Restraint Over Direct Involvement In Iran War

The Gulf states have appeared to take a strictly defensive stance towards the Islamic republic in a bid to stop the US-Israeli war from becoming their own. The wealthy US allies had long been seen as safe havens in a turbulent Middle East, but the current war has spread across the region and seen their critical infrastructure, military bases and energy facilities targeted.

The Gulf capitals have released public statements saying they are not taking part in operations against Iran and that their territory is not being used as a base for attacks.

Analysts believe the oil-rich countries are collectively betting on staying out of the conflict, figuring the cost of direct involvement would be far higher than that of restraint.

(With inputs from AFP)