Hossein Shariatmadari, a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote that European nations making bases available to Washington “can and must” be struck. “European governments know we can strike, and strike well,” he said, adding that Europe is “highly vulnerable” with “almost no ability” to withstand Iranian retaliation.
The threat comes amid rising Iran-West tensions and reflects Tehran’s strategy of using its ballistic missile program as a deterrent. Shariatmadari’s remarks carry weight: appointed by Khamenei in 1993, he is seen as a regime mouthpiece.
Recent Iranian missile tests, including a March strike on a US-UK base on Diego Garcia nearly 4,000 km away, suggest Iran can now reach most European capitals. The US maintains roughly 68,000 troops across more than a dozen European nations, including major bases in Germany, Italy, and the UK.
Last month, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi similarly warned that European nations joining US-Israeli action against Iran would be “legitimate targets.” Analysts say the threats are calculated to pressure European governments into avoiding any role in a potential conflict.
