Iran has issued an aggression facilitation ban against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Specifically, this ban forbids both nations from letting the U.S. use their territory for attacks. Consequently, the move follows American airstrikes on Iranian soil.
For example, Tehran sent two formal letters to the United Nations on Monday. In those letters, Iran’s UN ambassador detailed multiple U.S. warplane operations. According to the ambassador, these aircraft flew from Saudi and Emirati airspace. Afterward, they bombed Iranian targets on March 23, 24, and 28, 2026.
The ambassador listed over a dozen specific incidents. For Saudi Arabia, a U.S. F-16SV fighter jet conducted bombing raids. Additionally, F-35 and F-15E jets carried out further strikes. For the UAE, a U.S. U-2S reconnaissance aircraft operated over Emirati airspace on March 23.
Iran reminded both nations of their international responsibility. Specifically, this responsibility prohibits facilitating any act of aggression. As a result, Tehran expressed strong objection to the actions. Likewise, it strictly called upon Saudi and the UAE to observe good neighborliness.
Nevertheless, the ambassador reaffirmed Iran’s respect for both nations’ sovereignty. However, Iran reserves its inherent right to self-defense. Therefore, it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its territorial integrity.
Notably, this diplomatic escalation follows a larger conflict. For instance, the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran on February 28. Initially, that attack assassinated Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. In addition, it targeted nuclear facilities, schools, and hospitals.
In response, Iran’s armed forces have acted forcefully. Specifically, they have launched more than 100 waves of retaliatory strikes. This operation carries the name True Promise 4. For example, hundreds of ballistic and hypersonic missiles hit American and Israeli targets. Similarly, drone attacks also struck across the region.
Consequently, experts see this as a dangerous turning point. As a result, regional stability now faces severe strain. The aggression facilitation ban creates new legal pressure on Gulf states. Therefore, Saudi and the UAE must choose between U.S. alliances and Iranian threats.
The future outlook remains tense. For instance, Iran may take further self-defense actions if attacks continue. Likewise, Gulf nations will face more diplomatic demands from Tehran. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has not yet issued a public response. Finally, military activity in the region shows no sign of slowing.