Iran Could Strike Targets in Europe If the Conflict with the U.S. Escalates — FT

Iran is considering the possibility of striking U.S. military targets in Europe should Washington escalate the war, sources in Tehran told the Financial Times. Iran is also exploring options for raising the stakes in the conflict, the newspaper reports. The goal of the strikes would be to extend the conflict beyond the Middle East and raise the cost of escalation for Washington. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders increasingly view a resumption of hostilities as only a matter of time, the FT reports.

According to two sources close to the regime who spoke with the FT, the Iranian military assessed the possibility of strikes against U.S. targets in Southeast Europe. In particular, they considered Bulgaria: last month, the country’s authorities allowed American refueling aircraft to use the Bezmer air base.

Cyprus was also mentioned among the potential targets; in March, a drone attacked a British air base there. However, sources interviewed by the publication emphasize that the scale and geography of the response will depend on Washington’s actions: the possibility of escalating the conflict is being discussed specifically in the event of a new U.S. offensive.

An FT source cited U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure as one possible trigger for the war to spread beyond the Middle East. In July, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to destroy bridges or power plants in Iran in response to any attack by the country on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. If the Americans go too far, Tehran “will defend itself at any cost, go beyond the region, and launch strikes against Europe as well,” warned a second source cited by the publication.

As evidence of Tehran’s capabilities, sources speaking to the FT pointed to the July attack on a U.S. base in Jordan, in which three American service members were killed. According to one of the sources, with this attack Iran also sent a warning to Europe: Iranian missiles can reach Europe, so European countries should decide what position to take in the conflict.

Hardliners within the Iranian leadership do not believe the U.S. will abide by the terms of the agreement, should one be reached, and believe that only higher costs will compel Washington to fulfill its obligations, the FT reports. The British newspaper counts former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei among this faction; last week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei tasked him with overseeing national security.

Rezaei’s appointment may signal a weakening of the position of the country’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Galibaf, the FT reports. It is intended to send a message to the U.S.: if a deal with Galibaf cannot be reached, Iran will take an even tougher stance—“don’t go crazy, because we’re crazier than you,” a source told the newspaper.

The day before the FT’s report was published, UAE authorities stated that Iran had fired two ballistic missiles at the country—the first such incident since May. According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, the missiles were aimed at maritime shipping targets. Both missiles were intercepted and fell into the sea: one in UAE waters, the other beyond its borders. Tehran denies launching the missiles; the Iranian Foreign Ministry called on countries in the region to refrain from “baseless accusations.”

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor