Iran threatens 'painful' strikes across the Middle East if US attacks

Iran's military on Sunday warned the United States against launching new attacks on the country, threatening sustained strikes against US bases and interests across the Middle East in response.

"If you make a mistake, you will be the target of painful attacks," the Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters said, according to the Fars news agency.

"All of that country's deployment centres and interests in the region will be targeted with continuous, effective and painful attacks, without any restrictions or considerations."

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary general of Iran's powerful Supreme National Security Council, went further, threatening that Iran would attack US ships anywhere in the Indian Ocean in the event of renewed strikes.

Iran's military had acquired the capabilities needed to carry out such attacks, Rezaei told the broadcaster Al Jazeera.

The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, which assumes operational command of Iran's armed forces during wartime, also warned countries in the region against supporting any US attack.

Any country that did so would be regarded as "complicit" and could expect no restraint or leniency, it said.

The warning cited unconfirmed reports of a meeting between US representatives in a European country at which agreements were allegedly reached on renewed attacks against Iran.

Some Arab countries in the region had reportedly given the plans the green light. The claims could not be independently verified.