Iran vows retaliation on US bases in Middle East if Donald Trump follows up threats of military action

Tehran has warned US allies in the Middle East it will strike US bases on their soil if Washington attacks Iran following President ‍Donald Trump’s threats to intervene in support of protesters.

The death toll from Iran’s unrest climbed to almost 2600, a rights group said, as the clerical establishment seeks to quell nationwide protests posing one of the biggest challenges to their rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

According to an Israeli assessment, Mr Trump has decided to intervene but the scope and timing of this action remains unclear, an Israeli official said.

An Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had asked US allies ⁠in the region to “prevent Washington from attacking Iran”.

“Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that US bases in those countries will be attacked” if the US targets Iran, the official said on Wednesday.

The official said direct contacts between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended, reflecting mounting tensions.

A second Israeli source, a government official, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was briefed about the chances of regime collapse or US intervention in Iran, an arch-foe with which Israel fought a 12-day war in 2025.

In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Mr Trump vowed “very strong action” if Iran executed protesters.

“If they hang them, you’re going ‌to see some things,” he said.

He also urged Iranians to keep protesting and take over institutions, declaring “help is on the way” but without giving details.

The United States has forces across the region including in Qatar, which hosts Al Udeid Air Base - the forward headquarters for US Central Command.

Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid in 2025 in retaliation for US air strikes on its nuclear installations.

Iranian state media reported that the head of Iran’s top security body, Ali Larijani, had spoken to the foreign minister of Qatar and Araqchi had spoken to his Emirati and Turkish counterparts - all countries that are US allies.

Araqchi told UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed that Iranians were determined to defend their sovereignty and security from any foreign interference, state media reported.

The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout.

US-based HRANA rights group said it had verified the deaths of 2403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals. ‌

An Iranian official told Reuters that about 2000 people had been killed.

Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fomenting the unrest, blaming violence on people it calls terrorists who have attacked security forces, mosques and public property.

Visiting a Tehran prison where arrested protesters are being held, Iran’s chief justice said speed in judging and penalising those “who beheaded or burned people” was critical to ensuring such events did not happen again.

HRANA reported 18,137 arrests so ‍far.

State TV said a funeral procession would take place on Wednesday in Tehran for more than 100 civilians and security personnel killed in the unrest.

Pro-government rallies were held in Iran on Monday in support for the clerical Iranian establishment.

While Iranian authorities have weathered previous protests, the latest unrest takes place with Tehran still recovering from 2025’s war, and with its regional position weakened by blows to allies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks against Israel.

Asked what he meant by “help is on its way”, Mr Trump told reporters on Tuesday they would have to figure that out.

Mr Trump has said military action is among the options he is weighing to punish Iran over the crackdown.