If attacked, U.S. bases in region would be ‘legitimate targets’, warns Iran

In a letter to the United Nations, Iran has said it will not initiate any war, but if attacked, all regional bases, facilities and assets belonging to the “hostile forces” would be “legitimate targets” for retaliatory strikes. Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, in the letter dated February 19, accused Washington of issuing “explicit public threat[s] of the use of force” and urged the United Nations to act urgently. Citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s February 18 social media post that American forces could use bases in Diego Garcia and Fairford in the event of a conflict with Iran, Mr. Iravani said there is a “a real risk of military aggression, the consequences of which would be catastrophic for the region and would constitute a grave threat to international peace and security”. He added: “In the event that it is subjected to military aggression, Iran will respond decisively and proportionately in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned earlier this month that any attack on Iran would trigger a regional war. Iran and the U.S. have held two rounds of talks this month but failed to reach any breakthrough. The U.S. has built its largest military presence in West Asia since the 2003 Iraq invasion, while Iran has held two live fire drills in the Persian Gulf this month. If Iran comes under attack, Mr. Iravani wrote in the letter, “all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran’s defensive response... the United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any unpredictable and uncontrolled consequences.” The U.S. has at least 19 military bases across West Asia, many of which are in Persian Gulf countries. The headquarters of America’s Fifth Fleet is in Bahrain, while the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. base in the region, hosts the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command. Iran also accused Washington of violating the UN Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. It called on the Security Council to “fully utilise the Council’s authority and good offices to ensure that the United States immediately ceases its unlawful threats of the use of force” and refrains from actions that could “lead to a military confrontation”. Iran’s warning comes amid reports that Mr. Trump is considering air strikes against the Islamic Republic. The U.S. has already sent a host of offensive and defensive weapons to the region while preparing for a possible war. The U.S. has deployed F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, EA-18G jamming aircraft, and F-15E and F-16 fighters to the vicinity of Iran. The U.S. Navy has 13 ships in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and nine destroyers. A second aircraft carrier is on the way to West Asia. Iran, on the other side, has concluded a live-fire naval drill with Russian forces in the southern Persian Gulf. Iranian military officials said the exercise was designed to strengthen maritime security, develop naval diplomacy, and expand practical operational collaboration between the two countries’ naval forces, according to state-run Press TV. The drill included complex manoeuvrers, joint navigation exercises, and coordination between surface vessels and aviation units, with Iranian and Russian officials emphasising the continuity of shared training and operational exchange, said the report. Published - February 20, 2026 09:33 am IST ### Related Topics Iran / USA / United Nations