Iran defends attacks on Gulf states, but says trust has collapsed

Iran has defended its attacks on Gulf states, telling CNBC that U.S. military facilities in the region are “legitimate” targets for counterattacks against the United States and Israel.

But Gulf states told CNBC the attack had created a “huge gulf of trust” that would persist for years to come.

Iran’s decision to attack neighboring countries as part of retaliation for U.S. and Israeli attacks has confused analysts, and Tehran itself has sent mixed messages over its strategy, apologizing for attacks on neighboring countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, before carrying out further attacks.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman in Tehran told CNBC on Monday that the Islamic Republic “feels no hostility” toward the Gulf states, but that U.S. military assets in the region are legitimate targets.

“We have said many times that we do not feel any hostility towards any country in the region, including the UAE and Bahrain,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said.

“The only thing we’re doing is defending ourselves from the aggressor. Did we start this war? Or was this war foisted on Iran for no reason?” he told CNBC’s Dan Murphy.

Baghai said Iran aimed to attack “military bases and assets” belonging to the United States in the region, which he said was “legal under international law” because Iran “defends” itself under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

“All military bases, installations and assets that are used in any form or manner to support the aggressor are considered legitimate targets… We have frequently warned that if they start a war against Iran, that war will not be limited to Iran alone. It was not a threat. It is due to the reality of our region. US military bases are dotted around us,” Bagai said.

Despite Iran’s claims that it is only targeting military assets in the region, the attacks have targeted critical energy infrastructure in neighboring countries, particularly oil facilities and military bases.

Debris from Iranian drones and airstrikes has also damaged civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, including airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as hotels and residential buildings. Intercepted drones and missiles have also injured civilians and soldiers, resulting in several deaths.

Analysts say the strategy is aimed at causing maximum discomfort to Iran’s neighbors and shows that Iran has the potential to shake up the global economy and disrupt oil markets.

It is also seen as an attempt to pressure the United States and Israel to end their bombing of Iran by affected Gulf states desperate to protect their diversifying economies.

Iran’s neighbors are unimpressed by Iran’s actions, to say the least, and have warned that diplomatic relations could be affected for years.

“I’m not saying that relations between the Gulf states and Iran won’t return. At the end of the day, they are neighbors, but it has created a huge gap in trust that, in my opinion, will continue for decades to come,” a senior UAE official, who is not customarily named, told reporters at an official briefing on Friday.

CNBC has asked Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain to comment on how the Iranian attack has affected their relations with Iran, and is awaiting responses.

Qatar told CNBC it pointed to the latest statement by the country’s prime minister and foreign minister on Tuesday, which “strongly condemns Iran’s attacks on the State of Qatar and other Gulf states,” adding that the justification offered by the Iranian government is “totally rejected.”

The Gulf Cooperation Council, a political and economic union of six Gulf states, issued a statement condemning Iran’s “treacherous” and “heinous” attack and said it would take “all necessary measures” to protect Iran’s security and territory.

Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have threatened retaliation against Iran, but have so far refrained from any potentially escalatory action.

Iran recognizes that while continuing on the same path, it is taking a toll on already strained relations with its neighbors.

Last weekend, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized for the attack, saying: “We have no intention of invading other countries. Let’s put aside all our differences, concerns and resentments towards each other. Today, let’s protect our homeland and bring Iran out of this crisis with dignity.” But soon after, Iran fired a rocket at a US air base in the UAE.

Pezeshkian’s apology also sparked a backlash from hardliners in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and clerical elites, with hardline cleric and lawmaker Hamid Rasay slamming the president on social media, calling “your attitude unprofessional, weak and unacceptable.”

Iranian Spokesman Bagui reiterated Pezeshkian’s apology to CNBC, but said neighboring countries were being taken advantage of by the United States.

“We deeply regret that during the holy month of Ramadan, some regional countries and the territory of some regional countries are being misused by the United States to attack other Islamic countries.”

Michael Herzog, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, told CNBC on Tuesday that the people he speaks to in the Gulf are “really outraged by what the Iranians are doing.”

“Iran targeted Gulf states and their infrastructure, not just U.S. military bases, but also energy infrastructure and civilians, in order to put pressure on the Trump administration to end the war early,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.”

“I don’t think it worked out well for Iran because it isolated Iran in the Gulf and provoked all the countries to come together against Iran,” he said, adding, “Iran also wanted to show that this was going to be a regional war, but I think they miscalculated.”