22.07.2026 16:31
Iran's former Foreign Minister and current parliament member Manouchehr Mottaki said that in response to a potential US ground operation, they could seize American military bases in the region by targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, and take 100 American soldiers captive to Tehran.
At a time when the Washington administration is discussing the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, which is critical for Iran's oil exports, a very harsh response came from Tehran.
Manouchehr Mottaki, one of the influential figures in Iranian politics, emphasized that in response to a potential US ground operation against Iranian territory, the American military presence in the region would be directly targeted. Arguing that Iran should not limit itself to missiles and drones, Mottaki suggested that a ground operation could be launched against one of the US bases in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
"LET'S CAPTURE 100 AMERICAN SOLDIERS"
Mottaki stated that Iran possesses similar military capabilities in response to the US army's rhetoric of a ground operation. The former minister, who made a proposal that could change the strategic balances in the region, conveyed the plan for a ground attack on US bases with these words:
"The Americans talk about a ground operation, but we also have the capability for a ground operation. Let's launch a ground attack on one of the American bases in the region, capture 100 American soldiers, and bring them to Iran. We can seize one of the American bases in Iraq, Bahrain, or Kuwait."
FACILITIES IN KUWAIT AND BAHRAIN WILL BE TARGETED
Ahmed Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a former member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also made statements supporting Mottaki's remarks. Ardestani expressed that if the US lands troops on Iranian soil, ground attacks could be launched against American facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. The statements noted that the goal is not the complete occupation of these Gulf countries' territories but rather taking control of the strategic American bases located within their borders.
ATTACKS CONTINUE IN THE GULF
Iran announced in recent weeks that it has targeted US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain with missiles and drones. The Kuwaiti and Bahraini governments, however, reacted to Tehran, stating that the attacks violated their sovereignty.
Most recently, after a Kuwaiti-flagged tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz was targeted, the Kuwaiti government summoned Iran's ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and issued a protest note.