Iran defends attacks on Gulf neighbors, but says trust has been broken

Iran has defended its attacks on its Gulf neighbors, telling CNBC that US military assets located in surrounding territories were “legitimate” targets in its fight against the United States and Israel.

But Gulf states told CNBC that the attacks have created a “huge trust gap” that will last for years.

Iran’s decision to attack its neighbors as part of its retaliation against attacks by the United States and Israel has confused analysts and Tehran itself has sent mixed messages about its strategy, apologizing for attacks against neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, before carrying out even more attacks.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman in Tehran told CNBC on Monday that the Islamic Republic did not feel “any hostility” toward Gulf countries, but that U.S. military assets in the region were legitimate targets.

“We have said many times that we do not feel hostility towards any country in the region, towards the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, whatever,” said Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

“The only thing we are doing is defending ourselves from the aggressors. Did we start this war? Or was this war imposed on Iran for no reason?” he told CNBC’s Dan Murphy.

Baghaei said Iran had directed attacks “against bases and military assets” belonging to the United States in the region and said this was “legitimate under international law” as Tehran was “defending itself” under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

“All military bases, facilities and assets that are in any way being used to help the aggressors are considered legitimate targets… We had often warned that if they start a war against Iran, that war would not be limited to Iran alone. That was not a threat. That was due to the realities of our region. The US military bases are scattered around us,” Baghaei said.

Despite Iran’s insistence that it has only attacked military assets in the surrounding region, its attacks have targeted critical energy infrastructure, particularly oil facilities, as well as military bases, in neighboring countries.

Iranian drones and debris from the attacks have also impacted civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, including airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as hotels and residential buildings. Intercepted drones and missiles have also caused injuries to civilians and soldiers, and several deaths.

Analysts say this strategy has been aimed at creating maximum unrest for Iran’s immediate neighbors, as well as showing that Tehran can shake up the global economy and disrupt oil markets.

It has also been seen as an attempt to get affected Gulf states, eager to protect their diversifying economies, to put pressure on the United States and Israel to end their aerial bombardments against Iran.

Iran’s neighbors are unimpressed with Iran’s actions, to say the least, and warn that diplomatic relations could be affected for years.

A senior UAE official, who is not usually named, told reporters at an official briefing on Friday: “I’m not saying that relations between the Gulf States and Iran are not going to go backwards, because at the end of the day, they are neighbors, but that creates a huge trust gap that, in my opinion, will last for decades.”

CNBC has asked Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain to comment on the impact the Iranian attacks are having on their relations with Tehran and is awaiting responses.

Qatar pointed CNBC to the latest statement by the country’s prime minister and foreign minister on Tuesday in which they said they “strongly condemned the Iranian attacks against the State of Qatar and other Gulf countries,” adding that the justifications provided by Tehran are “totally rejected.”

The Gulf Cooperation Council, a political and economic union of six Gulf states, has issued statements condemning Iran’s “treasonous” and “atrocious” attacks, saying they will take “all necessary measures” to defend its security and territory.

Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have threatened retaliation against Iran, but have so far stopped short of potentially escalating action.

Iran has acknowledged the damage being caused to its already strained relations with neighboring states, while continuing down the same path.

Last weekend, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized for the attacks, saying: “We do not intend to invade other countries. Let us put aside all the disagreements, concerns and resentments we have against each other. Today, let us defend our own soil to lead Iran out of this crisis with dignity.” However, shortly afterward, Iran fired rockets at a US air base in the United Arab Emirates.

Pezeshkian’s apology also sparked a backlash from hardline members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the clerical elite, with hardline cleric and lawmaker Hamid Rasai berating the president on social media, saying: “His stance was unprofessional, weak and unacceptable.”

Iranian spokesman Bagheaei reiterated Pezeshkian’s apology to CNBC, but said the United States was using neighboring countries.

“We are very sorry that in the holy month of Ramadan, the territories of some regional states, some countries in the region, are being abused by the United States to attack other Muslim countries.”