TEHRAN — Iran’s armed forces chief on Wednesday warned Gulf countries against providing assistance to the US military amid heightened regional tensions, saying it would be tantamount to joining American military operations.In a post on US social media company X, Iran’s Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi said countries on the southern shores of the Gulf that have publicly stated they would not allow Washington to use their territory against Iran “should know that nothing escapes our notice.”Since the start of the conflict, many Middle Eastern countries have said they would not allow the US to use their territory as a launch pad for attacks, though Abdollahi cast doubt on those promises.He said the presence of a large number of US military aircraft, particularly aerial refueling tankers, at bases across the region was unlikely without the knowledge of the host countries.“We wish to warn that any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressor US military amounts to participation in the US military operation,” Abdollahi said, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.War between Iran and the United States broke out on February 28 after US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic, which retaliated with missile and drone strikes including on US bases across the region.The warning comes as the USS George Washington aircraft carrier is being redeployed to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln following reports of deteriorating living conditions for its crew.
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