Tehran has warned of 'continuous and relentless' strikes against any regional country that assists in seizing an Iranian island. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iranian forces are monitoring enemy movements and would target the assisting country's vital infrastructure. The warning coincides with a US military buildup in the Gulf — including roughly 2,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne and Marine contingents — and reports that Iran could threaten the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Both sides report diplomatic exchanges, but no public agreement has been reached.
Tehran Warns Of 'Continuous And Relentless' Strikes If Iranian Island Is Seized
A view of Iran's Kharg Island, which hosts the country’s main crude export terminal, and which some believe could be a target for occupation by US forces, on March 2, 2026 [Handout/European Space Agency via AFP]
A senior Iranian official has warned that intelligence indicates 'Iran's enemies' may be planning, with backing from an unnamed regional country, to seize an Iranian island. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said any such operation would trigger targeted strikes on the assisting country's vital infrastructure.
Key Warning
Ghalibaf posted on social media that Iranian forces are monitoring what he described as enemy movements and that 'if they take any step, we will attack vital infrastructure in that regional country in continuous and relentless attacks.' He made the comments in two separate posts.
Military Buildup And Regional Tensions
The warning comes as the US orders additional forces to the Gulf. US media report that roughly 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division have been ordered to deploy to the region, while two Marine expeditionary contingents — including an amphibious assault ship carrying one of the units — are also headed toward the area.
Local Reaction And Focus On Kharg Island
Al Jazeera correspondent Mohamed Vall, reporting from Tehran, said many Iranians are closely watching the buildup of US troops and ships and now expect the conflict to continue. Vall noted that some in Iran interpret Ghalibaf's warning as directed at the United Arab Emirates and that Tehran is particularly sensitive to any foreign interest in Kharg Island — a small island close to the Iranian mainland that oil facilities and strategic sites rely upon.
Broader Regional Risks
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted an unnamed military source saying Tehran could open a new front at the mouth of the Red Sea if military action takes place on 'Iranian islands or anywhere else in our lands.' The source said Iran could pose a credible threat to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the strategic passage between Yemen and Djibouti.
Tasnim also cited an 'informed source' claiming that Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, stand ready to act 'if there is a need to control the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to further punish the enemy.'
Diplomacy Amid Threats
Washington has offered mixed signals. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Iran must accept defeat, warning that President Trump would 'ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before' and saying the president 'does not bluff.' At the same time, US officials say quiet back-channel diplomacy continues: mediators report ongoing efforts to relay messages between Tehran and Washington.
Negotiation Proposals
US reports say Washington has proposed a 15-point plan to end hostilities. Iranian state media cite an unnamed Iranian official saying Tehran has put forward five conditions for stopping the fighting. Neither side has publicly agreed to terms, and major gaps remain.
Why It Matters: Any attempt to seize an Iranian island could rapidly widen the conflict, drawing in regional states and threatening key maritime chokepoints such as the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The mix of public threats and private diplomacy leaves the situation volatile and uncertain.
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