Armenian politician says Iran's UN letter signals rising risk of regional conflict

An Armenian opposition politician says Iran’s formal warning to the United Nations over the risk of military aggression should be viewed as a direct signal not only to the UN but to all countries in the region amid reports of partial U.S. military evacuations from several Middle Eastern bases.

In a social media post on Saturday, Artak Zakaryan, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), stated that Tehran’s letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reflects a shift from rhetorical escalation to a “practically high risk” of military confrontation.

Iran told Guterres on Thursday that it would regard the bases, facilities and assets of a “hostile force” in the region as legitimate targets if it faces military aggression. In the letter, Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations said rhetoric by U.S. President Donald Trump signals a real risk of military action, while stressing that Tehran does not seek war and would respond “decisively” if attacked.

Zakaryan said Tehran’s move appeared designed to create an international legal basis in advance of any potential conflict.

“The logic is that in the event of a strike, Iran will refer to its official warning letter and interpret retaliatory strikes as actions taken in self-defense in accordance with international law,” he wrote.

He added that the letter should be understood as an official signal aimed not only at the United Nations but also at regional states hosting U.S. military facilities, implying that such installations could be drawn into any confrontation.

Zakaryan pointed to reporting by The New York Times, which cited a Pentagon source as saying the United States has begun evacuating some personnel from military bases in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Qatar. The report also said some staff have been withdrawn from bases in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

He characterized the evacuations as precautionary steps taken in anticipation of possible Iranian retaliatory strikes.

“When a state begins documenting threats in international institutions, it indicates not theoretical rhetoric about escalation, but a high practical risk of it,” Zakaryan said.