Iran's Armed Forces Chief Says Aiding U.S. Forces Makes Gulf States Participants

Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, said in a written message on Wednesday that “any assistance and facilitation provided to the aggressor U.S. army is tantamount to participation with U.S. military forces.” He aimed the warning at countries on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf, which have said they would not allow the United States to use their territory against Iran. Abdollahi claimed nothing is hidden from Iranian eyes, and that the volume of military aircraft at regional bases, especially refueling planes, is unlikely to be occurring without the knowledge of the host countries. The message named no country and no base.