Iran threatened Gulf blackout if US hit plants, officials say

Iran warned it would “black out” Gulf countries if the United States attacked Iranian power plants, two officials told AFP.

A Gulf official said Iran sent the message through intermediaries last week, and another regional official confirmed the messaging. Both officials spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The warning followed threats by US President Donald Trump of a massive attack against Iran. Trump later walked back the planned strikes, citing requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and hope for a breakthrough in talks.

The officials said Iran conveyed that any attacks on its power plants would trigger strikes on similar targets in the Gulf. The Gulf official said the message included a long list of targets and described it as “very serious”. The official said Iran’s message included power plants and water desalination facilities, which the mostly desert region relies on for drinking water.

In mid-July, Trump threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran warned of an “eye for an eye” response. After Trump called off the strikes, Saudi Arabia announced that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken to Trump in a call aimed at reducing regional tensions.

The Gulf has faced Iranian attacks during the Middle East war, including strikes on US assets and civilian infrastructure such as energy sites, ports and airports. Sporadic attacks continued after a ceasefire and a later memorandum of understanding were agreed in April and June, and exchanges of fire increased as the ceasefire fell apart in July, with strikes mainly targeting Kuwait and Bahrain.