Mottaki is speaking as if the Islamic Republic of Iran can do anything it wishes, with absolute impunity, and no one can stop it from doing so. This may be all an elaborate bluff, and certainly deception is a hallmark of Iran’s Islamic regime. At the same time, however, Trump has emboldened the Iranians with his incessant drawing of red lines that he immediately allowed them to cross. The proliferation of empty threats has made the Islamic Republic’s leaders think they can do anything they want to do, because Trump lacks the will to stop them.
“Former Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki: Iran Should Occupy U.S. Bases And Take 200 American Hostages; We Should Strike Ukraine’s Military Arsenal And Zelensky’s Residence If It Continues To Supply UAVs To The Region; Jordan And Six Gulf Countries Should Be Declared Hostile States And Legitimate Targets,” MEMRI, July 18, 2026:
Former Iranian Foreign Minister and current Majles member Manouchehr Mottaki said in a July 18, 2026 interview on IRINN TV (Iran) that Jordan and six Gulf states should be declared hostile countries and that the entire territory of those seven countries should become legitimate targets for Iran, just like the American bases on their soil. He argued that because attacks against Iran were launched from those countries, they had become complicit in the “martyrdom” of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and thousands of Iranians….
Manouchehr Mottaki: “I call on officials to declare Jordan and six Gulf countries hostile states.
[…]
“This would make all the territory of these seven countries become legitimate targets for us—like the U.S. bases are—because attacks against us are launched from their land and airspace, making them complicit in the martyrdom of our Leader and thousands of our people.
“Ukraine is also becoming involved in this war against us, by deploying UAVs. They sent a shipment of UAVs to the UAE, which our forces struck during the 40-Day War. At that time, I said that it was a pity that we did not target Zelensky, while he was visiting the UAE.
“Now, we must send Ukraine a clear message: If you supply additional UAVs to these countries or to America, our military arsenal and your [president’s] residence will become legitimate targets. We are capable of striking them.
[…]
“[The Americans] have talked about a ground operation, but we have ground operational capabilities that they lack. This means that we can go and take over an American base, which are easily within our reach in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
“In addition to our forces preparing military capabilities for this operation, there will be local supporters of these actions in those places. Large masses of people in Iraq will gather to support the seizing of American bases, both in Iraq and in Kuwait.
[…]
“I assume that occupying an American base and seizing 200 prisoners would completely disarm the U.S. and prevent it from pursuing this war.”
Wellington says
Proving again (how many times are needed?) that Trump, for whom I voted three times and still overwhelmingly support, made a mistake from the get-go when this war started on February 28th by not making regime change—not the ending of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, ballistic missile capacity or support for proxies like the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah, all laudable goals—the top priority, the chief priority.
If I’m wrong in this, I would like to know how I am. With details.
Cynthia says
The Israelis wanted more time to keep degrading Iran’s capabilities. Trump got terrible advice from the real estate negotiators and Vance to begin a ceasefire.
I don’t think Rubio is that soft on terrorists.
Emilie Green says
“Hmm… I don’t agree with his Trump-killing policy, but I do approve of his Zelenski-killing policy!” says Homer Simpson.
[Background: While inside the voting booth, Homer has to weigh his options. On one hand, Sideshow Bob has repeatedly tried to murder Homer’s son, Bart. On the other hand, Bob also tried to murder Homer’s deeply disliked sister-in-law, Selma Bouvier.]
࿗Infidel࿘ says
My views on Zelenskyy/Ukraine have changed, w/ their fortunes. They’ve finally taken the war to Russia, taking out the Wildberries warehouses (their equivalent of Amazon) and completely disrupting their internal supply-chains. The stories of corruption regarding the pilfering of weapons money have been replaced by Ukraine now improvising quite a bit. As a result of the US being totally engrossed in Iran, Ukraine has for the first time taken the war to St Petersburg and Moscow, and hitting targets all over at least the European bit of Russia (I don’t expect them to hit Novosibirsk or Vladivostok)
If I were in Zelenskyy’s place, I’d hit the Kremlin Necropolis – the place that has the graves of the more villainous of the Soviet leaders – Stalin, Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko and a spot for Putin as well. The gentler leaders – Krushchev, Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin – are buried at another gravesite in Moscow. So the Ukrainians can bomb this spot, including the one reserved for Putin, and completely humiliate the Kremlin in more ways than one
abu taleb says
If Iran can declare a something as a legitimate target based on certain criteria, then others can declare the same thing to Iran (or other Islamic countries). Therefore, Qatar is a legitimate target for the west for funding terrorism in the west, for example.
It is stupid that the US or other western countries (including Israel) never uses the same argument to corner Iran or other Islamic countries.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
They’re that desperate for Putin’s support that they’re showing the “kill Zelenskyy” as the shiny object in the room?
JustJim says
Is anybody left, to consider attacking an American base? Man, I wanna get some of what this guy has been smokin!