Saudi Arabia has warned Iran that continued drone and missile attacks on its territory could force Riyadh to retaliate and permit US forces to launch strikes from the kingdom, according to multiple sources The message was delivered by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, just days before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a public apology to Gulf states for recent attacks that have struck civilian targets
The diplomatic escalation comes amid a wider conflict that began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which included an attack that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei In response, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting US military bases The death toll inside Iran has reportedly surpassed 1,200, according to humanitarian groups The conflict has also drawn in NATO, which recently destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile over Turkish airspace
While Riyadh has told Tehran it favors a diplomatic settlement and has not allowed its territory to be used for attacks on Iran, it has now drawn a clear red line regarding the protection of its energy infrastructure and territory Iran's response has been mixed, reflecting potential divisions within its leadership. President Pezeshkian's apology and commitment to halt attacks on neighbors, unless attacked first, were seemingly contradicted by Iran's military command, which vowed to continue targeting US and Israeli bases in the region Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump characterized the Iranian president's statement as a "surrender" resulting from military pressure
Yasir Rai
