If US attacks, Iran says it will strike US bases in the region

Iran will strike US bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by US forces that have massed in the region, its foreign minister said on Saturday, insisting that this should not be seen as an attack on the countries hosting them.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to Qatari Al Jazeera TV a day after Tehran and Washington pledged to continue indirect nuclear talks following what both sides described as positive discussions on Friday in Oman.

While Araghchi said no date had yet been set for the next round of negotiations, US President Donald Trump said they could take place early next week. "We and Washington believe it should be held soon,” Araqchi said.

Trump has threatened to strike Iran after a US naval buildup in the region, demanding that it renounce uranium enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear bombs, as well as stopping ballistic missile development and support for armed groups around the region. Tehran has long denied any intent to weaponise nuclear fuel production.

While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Araghchi balked at widening the talks out.

"Any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. (Tehran) only discusses its nuclear issue ... We do not discuss any other issue with the US," he said.

Last June, the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said it has halted uranium enrichment activity.

Its response at the time included a missile attack on a US base in Qatar, which maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.

In the event of a new US attack, Araghchi said the consequences could be similar.

"It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he said.

“We will not attack neighbouring countries; rather, we will target US bases stationed in them. There is a big difference between the two.”

Iran says it wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium, and that putting its missile programme on the negotiating table would leave it vulnerable to Israeli attacks.

Recent talks also come in the wake of Iran's crackdown on protests that began in late December, driven by economic grievances.

The authorities in Iran have acknowledged that 3,117 people were killed in the recent protests, publishing on Sunday a list of 2,986 names, most of whom they say were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders.

International organisations have put the toll far higher.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which has kept a running toll since the onset of the protests, says it has verified 6,872 deaths, mainly of protesters, and has another 11,280 cases under investigation. It has also counted more than 50,000 arrests.

At Friday's talks in Oman the US delegation was led by Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his influential son-in-law Jared Kushner.

"In a very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged and the views of the other side were shared with us," Araghchi told Iranian state TV after the talks, adding that the two sides had "agreed to continue negotiations".

Speaking to the official IRNA news agency, Araghchi expressed hope that Washington would refrain from "threats and pressure" so that "the talks can continue".

On Saturday, Araghchi criticised what he labelled a "doctrine of domination" that allows Israel to expand its military arsenal while pressuring other states in the region to disarm.

At the Al Jazeera Forum conference in Qatar, his speech made no reference to Friday's talks in Oman with the United States.