Iran warns Germany its bases are ‘legitimate targets’ if Berlin joins war
Iran has told Berlin that all German military bases and facilities in the region would be treated as legitimate targets if Germany joins military action against Tehran, according to Iranian media. Coupled with warnings of “unimaginable” retaliation for any attack on its territory, the message pulls Europe more directly into the standoff over strikes on Iran.
Europe’s room to sit on the sidelines of a potential confrontation with Iran is narrowing. Tehran has warned Berlin that all German military bases and facilities across the Middle East would be considered legitimate targets if Germany openly joins military action against Iran, according to reporting from inside the country. The threat drags German assets and personnel closer to the front line of any escalation that might follow U.S. or Israeli strikes.
The warning, carried by Iranian outlets citing security and defense sources, was explicit: if Germany takes part in open military operations against Iran, then German-linked sites in the region are on the table for retaliation. It comes as the speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, told lawmakers on Sunday that Iran would respond to any violation of its territorial integrity with force "beyond the enemy's imagination" and would not surrender its rights under the pressure of war threats or assassination plots.
Tehran’s message lands at a moment when Western capitals are openly debating strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump said there would be no strike on Iran "today," and acknowledged receiving "two very different" sets of intelligence assessments on Iran, which he said he holds personally. Senior U.S. officials, including the secretary of war, have recently toured the region, and the head of U.S. Central Command has been inspecting mine-clearing and blockade operations affecting Iranian-bound shipping.
For German troops and diplomats stationed in the Gulf, Iraq, and the eastern Mediterranean, the implication is direct. Bases that host German aircraft, trainers, or staff on multinational missions could move from supporting roles in coalition operations to potential Iranian target sets. Families of deployed personnel face a higher theoretical risk, and German planners must now consider whether participation in any Western strike package on Iran is worth exposing those sites.
Iran’s leadership is also sharpening its political fight with U.S.-aligned Arab states. Ghalibaf used his parliamentary speech to attack the United Arab Emirates’ candidate for United Nations secretary-general, Lana Nusseibeh, accusing her of seeking to "pave the diplomatic way" for Israeli territorial gains and cover up what he called crimes in Gaza. That rhetoric adds a multilateral and reputational dimension to the standoff, signaling that Iran sees diplomacy at the UN as another arena where it is under threat.
The security posture inside Iran is tightening as well. Residents in major cities are reporting new armed Basij militia checkpoints, increased surveillance cameras, and a heavier presence of security forces, as authorities brace for renewed protests and the possibility of military conflict with Israel and the United States. At the same time, Israel’s prime minister is warning that Iran and its proxies may try to disrupt Tuesday’s Israeli election through attacks, telling potential adversaries, "Don't test us."
These moves point to a region where domestic repression, external signaling, and the risk of miscalculation are increasingly intertwined. A threat to target German facilities forces European governments to decide whether to remain political backers of U.S. policy, active military participants, or something in between that still carries real danger.
Key triggers to watch now include any overt German decision to contribute assets to a strike on Iran, new Iranian moves against Western military or diplomatic sites in the Middle East, and how European leaders respond publicly to Tehran’s warning. A firm German statement ruling out combat participation would ease immediate risk to its bases; a decision to join any U.S.-led operation would confirm that Iran’s threat is not theoretical.
Sources
- OSINT