Iran has warned that attacks on US bases and assets are ‘legitimate targets’

Iran warned on Thursday (February 20, 2026) that US bases, facilities and assets are “legitimate targets” if the United States follows through on its military threats and attacks.

Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, made these comments in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Security Council. AFP.

President Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he tries to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb, which Tehran says it is not pursuing.

The letter cited a social media post by Mr Trump on Wednesday (February 18, 2026), where he said the United States would need to use UK military bases, including the Indian Ocean island, “if Iran decides not to do the deal”.

“Such a bellicose statement by the President of the United States represents a real danger of military aggression, the consequences of which would be catastrophic for the region and pose a serious threat to international peace and security,” Mr. Iravani wrote in the letter.

He called on the Security Council – the UN’s top decision-making body, over which Washington has veto power – to “ensure that the United States immediately ceases its unlawful threats of force”.

The letter said Iran was committed to “diplomatic solutions” and to “resolving, on a mutual basis, the dilemmas related to its peaceful nuclear program.”

Mr. Iravani warned that if Iran were to face military aggression, “all bases, facilities and assets of an enemy force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran’s defensive response.”

Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran, citing a deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters last month, and more recently over its nuclear program.

On Thursday (February 19, 2026), Trump once again signaled that Iran has up to 15 days to reach a deal, and that the United States will attack if it fails to do so.

His comments on Tuesday (Feb 10, 2026) followed talks in Geneva between US ambassadors Steve Wittkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met indirectly with Iran’s top diplomat, saying there had been progress.

An earlier attempt at talks collapsed when Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran last June, setting off a 12-day war in which Washington briefly joined to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites.