Iran has issued a fresh warning to countries in the region, cautioning against aligning with the United States amid escalating regional tensions.
A senior Iranian military commander claimed any country serving as a “defensive shield” for Washington could face the consequences of war.
Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said the United States is seeking to further ignite conflict across the Middle East.
In a message addressed to neighboring countries, Abdollahi said Washington is “pursuing, with increasing speed, the path of widespread warmongering in a regional war,” describing the American approach as part of a dangerous strategy aimed at expansion and illegitimate domination across the region.
Warning to regional countries
The Iranian commander urged Muslim countries to carefully assess their security partnerships with the United States.
“We explicitly declare that Muslim countries must exercise foresight, monitor America’s actions, and reconsider cooperation and alignment with the United States,” Abdollahi said.
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He warned that any country that turns itself into a defensive shield for the United States “will burn in the fire of war.”
Claims about US military presence
According to Abdollahi, the recent conflict involving Iran demonstrated that the United States would not hesitate to pursue its objectives even at the expense of the interests and resources of Muslim nations.
He claimed Washington has been using military bases located in regional countries during its joint military campaign against Iran, which, according to the Iranian account, began on February 28.
The commander added that Iran responded by targeting US military bases and interests in the region, along with Israeli targets.
Abdollahi alleged that the United States is using the wealth, critical infrastructure, strategic resources and capital of countries in the region as a defensive shield for its military while strengthening the military and security apparatus of Israel.
He argued that Washington is harming the interests of Muslim countries for its own strategic objectives and urged regional governments to recognize what he described as America's "cunning."
Iran claims regional balance of power shifted
The commander further claimed that Iran, its armed forces and the Axis of Resistance have fundamentally changed the balance of power in the region.
According to Abdollahi, the United States and Israel have failed to achieve what he described as their aggressive and illegitimate objectives against Iran.
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He also asserted that American and Israeli forces are increasingly relying on military facilities in regional countries while shifting the costs and risks of conflict onto local governments.
Strait of Hormuz warning reiterated
The latest remarks come as Iranian officials continue to warn about the consequences of escalating tensions in the region.
Iran has previously stated that it, along with Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, has strengthened control over the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait during the ongoing regional crisis.
On Friday, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Bagher Zolqadr warned that continued US military actions would lead to a tighter closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
He said prolonged American military pressure and maritime restrictions could affect other strategic waterways as well, warning that the global economy, international energy markets and even American voters would ultimately bear the consequences.
The Iranian commander's latest statement reflects the continued escalation in rhetoric between Tehran and Washington as regional security concerns persist.
His comments also underscore Iran’s call for neighboring countries to reassess military cooperation with the United States amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
