Distraction from protests in Iran? US fears new conflict in Gulf region Cassis questions 100 million emergency aid for Ukraine

The US government is concerned about the current security situation in the Gulf region. Defense Department spokesman Pat Ryder said Tuesday. He responded to a request for a report from the Wall Street Journal that: according to which Iran would plan attacks on Saudi Arabia and northern Iraq to divert attention from protests at home. According to the report, citing Saudi intelligence, Saudi Arabia, the US and several other neighboring countries have raised the alert level for their troops in the region.

‘Concerned about the threat situation in the region’

“What I can say is that we remain concerned about the threat landscape in the region,” Ryder said. “We are in regular contact with our Saudi partners to find out what information they can provide on this subject.” The US reserves the right to protect and defend itself when a specific threat arises – regardless of where its armed forces are deployed, in Iraq or elsewhere. The spokesperson did not go into detail about the Wall Street Journal report.

For weeks, thousands across Iran have been demonstrating against the government’s repressive course and Islamic system of rule. The systemic mass protests were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in mid-September. The vice squad arrested her for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code. The woman died on September 16 in police custody. Iran accused Saudi Arabia and the US of instigating the protests.

Iran has been attacking bases of Kurdish separatist groups in neighboring northern Iraq since late September with missiles and armed drones. He justifies the attacks as a “legitimate response” to attacks by Kurdish terrorist groups on Iranian military bases in the border area. Iran previously accused some Kurdish groups of involvement in the anti-government protests in Iran, including by supplying weapons to protesters. (dpa, pdi)