Tehran threatens to attack European countries if they join US-Israel war

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - TEHRAN — Iran warned European countries on Tuesday against joining the US-Israel campaign against it.
The warning came after multiple countries said they could take “defensive action” in the face of Iran’s missile-launching capabilities.
In a statement, Tehran warned that such a move would be viewed as a direct provocation and would expand the country’s retaliatory strikes to target European cities and countries.
“It would be an act of war. Any such act against Iran would be regarded as complicity with the aggressors. It would be regarded as an act of war against Iran,” said Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson.
“Defensive is synonym for offensive. Does that make sense? Do they want to deprive Iran of its capability and capacity to fight back against the aggressors?” he asked, speaking in English, at a press briefing.
“That would be a shame, if these countries take sides with the aggressors. They have already done enough against Iran.”
Iran’s warning comes as European governments scramble to define their role in an escalating Middle East conflict, weighing US requests for military support against fears of being drawn directly into the war.
On Monday, Iran-made attack drones targeted the British ir Force’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus, an EU member state.
Officials say they believe those drones were fired from Lebanon, possibly by Hezbollah.
The strike prompted the UK to bolster the base’s defenses on the Mediterranean island, with UK media reporting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering mobilizing a warship to strengthen it against possible future strikes.
Meanwhile, Greece, Germany and France all pledged to aid Cyprus in bolstering its defenses, with Greece and France sending in navy frigates while Athens also contributed F-16 fighter jets.

Advertisements Cyprus is the EU country closest to Iran and has been at pains to emphasize it is not part of the conflict.
“The assistance requested is necessary assistance,” Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Tuesday. “They are not in any case measures which indicate the participation of Cyprus in any military operation … we constantly repeat this, and we will repeat it again today.”
Iran’s embassy in Cyprus has also sought to reassure Nicosia that bilateral relations remain strong and unaffected by the escalating regional conflict, arguing that Tehran has never initiated aggression, local media reported.
NATO chief Mark Rutte stressed on Tuesday that the military alliance is "not itself involved" in what's happening in the Middle East but that it will "defend every inch of NATO territory" if needed.
Speaking during a visit to North Macedonia, Rutte said Iran is a threat to the wider region, "an existential threat" to Israel as well as "huge threat to us here in Europe".
"Let's be absolutely clear-eyed to what's happening here. Iran is close to getting its hands on a nuclear capability and on a ballistic missile capability," he said.
"I think we are all better off with him (Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed on Saturday by a strike) gone and with the nuclear and ballistic capability being beaten and degraded as it is as we speak."
Rutte reiterated that the operation was carried out by the US and Israel, and while some allies are providing support, this is done on a bilateral basis.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also moved to order an increase to Paris’ nuclear arsenal in light of threats facing the continent on multiple fronts, from Russia’s war in Ukraine to the war in the Middle East. — Agencies