Iran has threatened to strike U.S. military bases in Europe if American aircraft based there were used to stage new attacks.
“If the Americans make a mistake and attack us, we will not limit ourselves to nearby bases,” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview with the Hezbollah-aligned Al Mayadeen television station in Lebanon on Wednesday.
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcons perform a formation maneuver during the California Capital Airshow at Mather Airport in Mather, California, Oct. 10, 2026. The aerial demonstration highlighted the precision and skill of the Air Demonstration Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Collett)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot, performs aerial maneuvers in a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon during a practice demonstration at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, Sep. 29, 2026. The team travels to airshows across the U.S. and abroad to demonstrate the capabilities of the F-16 and the professionalism of the Airmen who operate and maintain them. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Steven Cardo)
“We may even target some American military bases in European countries,” he added.
Rezaei said the Iranian response could affect U.S. military installations far away from the Middle East.
‘No Safe Haven’
Iran could “target America’s more distant military installations,” he was quoted as saying earlier this week.
“We may even strike certain islands that they assume are beyond the reach of our missiles,” he added.
Rezaei posted on X: “If the US launches another war against Iran, every military base involved in the aggression–from West Asia to Europe–will be a legitimate target for Iran’s lethal strikes.”
His message ended: “NO SAFE DISTANCE. NO SAFE HAVEN. NO IMMUNITY.”
Similar threats were made by Kioumars Heydari, deputy chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, who said on Wednesday that nations allowing American aircraft to launch attacks against Iran could face retaliation.
Neither of the officials provided evidence that Iran can strike any of these locations.
U.S. Aircraft Moved from British Base
The comments come after U.S. military aircraft were moved from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.
Nine KC-135 air-refueling tankers and three Osprey aircraft were seen departing on Monday, November 9, according to flight tracking data from Sky News.
Most of the tankers have moved to bases in Germany and Spain, one to RAF Prestwick in Scotland, and the Osprey aircraft to a nearby base at RAF Lakenheath.
The Wall Street Journal has alleged that the evacuation follows a threat from Iran.
The British Ministry of Defense said: “Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements.”
Cabinet minister Lucy Powell said: “We’re constantly keeping the security of our bases under review.”
The moves come after security concerns were raised at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where U.S. bombers were formerly based.
Two men were charged under Britain’s National Security Act on October 27 after an investigation found suspicious activity around the base in September.
One man was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service.
“In this case, we believe that country to be Iran,” Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said.
Neither has been convicted, and Iran has denied any involvement.
In October, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warned there was a change in “Iranian ambitions to come at harder targets, like military sites.”
Could Iran Actually Strike Bases in Europe?
Iran has also confirmed it is removing a self-imposed limit on the range of its ballistic missiles.
“This limitation has been lifted for us,” said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi on November 7.
Previously, the range was stated to be around 2000 kilometers.
This does not confirm Iran has developed new weaponry to strike distant targets in Europe accurately.
Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute said in March that a strike on Britain was theoretically possible but would involve a “small and inaccurate payload.”
Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute said the situation was “worrying … but not alarming”, in comments to Al Jazeera.
With longer flight times, European defenses would have more warning.
However, American military bases in southeastern Europe are obviously much closer to Iran than those in Britain.
President Donald Trump has, however, recently downplayed the immediate need for further major bombing raids against Iran.
“Iran militarily is effectively over,” he told reporters on Monday. “We’re just keeping it the status quo.”
However, he has also warned that American forces are “locked and loaded.”
Rubio: Blockade is Achieving Our Aims
“We don’t need to conduct military strikes if we’re achieving the same objective through economic means and economic pressure,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Paris on Tuesday.
“That’s not a stalemate.”
There has been controversy over diplomatic efforts, with Rezaei saying Iran is not currently in direct talks with Washington.
“We are not negotiating with the Americans at present,” he told Al Mayadeen.
Iran has set out seven preconditions for talks. Their demands are thought to include the lifting of sanctions and unfreezing of Iranian assets.
Vance Slams War’s Political Fallout
Vice President JD Vance has slammed the political fallout from the war with Iran, breaking somewhat with the president’s assessment that the election was lost because he was not on the ballot, and later, that fraud may have been involved.
“The reason we lost is the war,” Vice President Vance wrote after the Republican Party lost the midterm elections, in a statement issued on November 4.
The latest threats from Iran mean that any new U.S. operations launched from Europe could leave bases vulnerable to retaliation.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
