By Gloria Nosa
Offshore Correspondent
Iran has issued a stern warning that it could target American-linked energy companies across the Middle East if its oil infrastructure comes under attack amid the escalating conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Speaking on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would retaliate against energy assets connected to American companies if Iranian oil facilities were struck.
According to Araghchi, Iran’s armed forces have already made it clear that any attack on the country’s energy infrastructure would trigger a direct response.
“If our oil and energy facilities are attacked, our armed forces will respond,” he said, warning that Iran could target energy installations in the region that are owned by, or partly connected to, U.S. companies.
The warning follows a reported U.S. military strike on Kharg Island, the key hub through which the majority of Iran’s crude oil exports pass. Despite the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that while military positions were heavily hit, Iran’s core oil infrastructure had not been directly destroyed.
Araghchi further alleged that the strikes were launched using short-range rockets fired from American military bases located in the United Arab Emirates, including one facility situated close to Dubai.
He criticized the alleged use of neighboring countries’ territory to carry out the attacks, describing it as unacceptable and potentially dangerous, especially given the proximity of some of the launch sites to heavily populated areas.
“They are using the territory of our neighbors to attack us with these rockets, and that is absolutely unacceptable,” he said, adding that Iran would attempt to avoid targeting civilian-populated zones if it chooses to retaliate.
The tensions come after Trump warned that the United States could target oil infrastructure on Kharg Island if Iran fails to allow the uninterrupted flow of crude oil through the critical Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most vital energy corridors, carrying a significant portion of global oil shipments. Any disruption in the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to international waters could send shockwaves through global energy markets and further intensify the ongoing conflict.
