By Mardiyyah Abubakar
Iran’s armed forces have warned Gulf countries against assisting or facilitating US military operations, saying such support would amount to participation in the conflict.
Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Ali Abdollahi, issued the warning on Wednesday, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Abdollahi said any assistance provided to the United States would be viewed as involvement in its military operations against Iran.
He questioned how a large number of US military aircraft, particularly refueling aircraft, could operate from regional bases without the knowledge of their host countries.
The Iranian military chief also warned Persian Gulf countries that have said they would not allow the United States to use their territories for attacks against Iran.
The warning comes as the USS George Washington aircraft carrier is being redeployed to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, amid reports of deteriorating living conditions for its crew.
Iran and the United States have been engaged in a military conflict since February 28, following US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes, including attacks on US bases in the region.
