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Tehran warned European countries on Tuesday against joining the Iran war, 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 synonymous to offensive, doesn’t make sense, do they want to deprive Iran of its capability and capacity to fight back against aggressors,” he said in a press briefing with speaking to state-run news agencies.
“That would be a shame if these countries take sides with the aggressors, they have already done enough against Iran,” Baghaei added.
The warning comes as European nations seek to further their defences, as the Iran war threatens to expand beyond the Middle East and pose a threat to Europe’s security.
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 defences on the Mediterranean island, with UK media reporting that Starmer is considering mobilising a warship to strengthen it against possible future strikes.
Meanwhile, Greece, Germany and France all pledged to aid Cyprus in bolstering its defences, with Greece and France sending in navy frigates while Athens also contributed F-16 fighter jets.
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.
The French leader also announced that his country plans to launch a programme to spread French nuclear assets across the continent. Eight countries, including the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, have expressed their interest in hosting French deterrence capabilities.