Iran and Kuwait’s long-standing diplomatic relationship has entered a new period of tension over US military bases and regional security, according to a report published on August 3, 2026. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on social media that Kuwait was “part of the fire of evil forces,” as US bases in Kuwait became targets of Iranian missile strikes. He said Iran had pursued a neighborly policy but Kuwait had not repaid its assistance.

Kuwait’s government said the United States had not launched any military operation against Iran from Kuwaiti territory. Its Defence Ministry described Iran’s attacks as “criminal aggression.” The report traces earlier strains to the Iran-Iraq war beginning in 1980, when Kuwait provided Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with major financial loans, logistical support and port access.

Relations improved after Iraq occupied Kuwait in 1990, when Iran sheltered refugees and sent 47 engineers and oil specialists who helped control 28 burning oil wells. Kuwait now hosts five of the 19 US military bases in the Middle East, with about 13,500 American troops stationed there. Kuwait has also approved a five-year defence agreement with Pakistan covering military training, intelligence sharing and technical cooperation.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has called on the international community to take “immediate and effective” action to hold Israel accountable for crimes committed against Palestinians, according to the state-run Fars News Agency. The appeal was reported on August 3, 2026, and was issued in connection with the anniversary of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’s death.

Iran said Haniyeh was killed on July 31, 2024, when a bomb planted in his guesthouse in Tehran exploded. The report said he had been leading Hamas in an ongoing negotiation process with Israel less than a year after Israel’s military operation in Gaza began.

The report also said Israel’s attacks in Gaza have intensified despite a recent United States announcement of a disarmament plan involving Hamas, citing various international reports. Iran’s statement focused on seeking accountability for Israel over alleged crimes against Palestinians and called for an international response.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the United States and Israel are engaged in war not only against one country but against the entire Middle East. Speaking at a news conference in Tehran on Monday, he blamed the United States and its allies for the current regional crisis.

Baghaei said US military presence in the Gulf and the use of bases in various countries have increased instability. He said it was natural for countries in the region to seek efforts to prevent the situation from worsening. He also described the Yemen crisis as Yemen’s internal matter and said it should be resolved through dialogue.

The spokesperson said linking the Yemen issue to the war against Iran was an attempt to evade responsibility. He said no new mediator had joined talks with the United States, although China and several other countries were trying to reduce tensions. Pakistan is mediating on Iran-US issues and Qatar is assisting as needed, he said. Discussions with Oman have continued for the past seven to eight days, with some progress, while contacts with several regional and non-regional countries continue.

Turkey said recent deadly Israeli military attacks in the Gaza Strip demonstrate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has no genuine willingness or mindset to establish peace with Palestinians. The Turkish Foreign Ministry made the statement in a declaration cited by Anadolu Agency in a report published on August 3, 2026.

The ministry said Netanyahu's main objective was to displace Palestinians from their homeland and undermine conditions for lasting peace and stability in the region. It also accused him of taking steps that seriously disrupt the Middle East's fragile regional balance and repeatedly derail peace and mediation efforts led by the United States.

Turkey warned the international community that Netanyahu's expansionist and military policies were seeking to turn the entire Middle East into a zone of major conflict. It called for a firmer, united and tougher international stance against those policies. The report said the United States had recently announced a major plan to address the long-running Gaza conflict, but at least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes across Gaza on Sunday shortly after the proposal was announced.

Trita Parsi, an analyst at the US-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said the United States and Iran must reach understandings on far more than the Strait of Hormuz for diplomatic efforts to succeed. Speaking to Al Jazeera in remarks published on August 3, he described the strait as a highly important issue in negotiations.

Parsi said a memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran in June called for a ceasefire across the region. He argued that using that memorandum as the basis for a new diplomatic initiative could return conditions to their previous state, and make them worse, because Israel continues attacks in Lebanon and Gaza despite the call for a regional ceasefire.

He warned that neither side can afford for the diplomatic initiative to fail, saying the alternative would be catastrophic. Parsi added that Iran still doubts whether US President Donald Trump has genuine willingness to pursue diplomacy. Tehran believes Trump will not commit to a long-term agreement until he is convinced that military action is not an effective alternative.

Iran has intensified regional diplomacy while maintaining strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz, with talks with Oman reportedly nearing their final stage. In a cabinet briefing, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said bilateral negotiations concerning the strait had reached their last phase. The report was published on August 3, 2026, citing confirmation from senior levels of the Iranian government.

Araghchi also held renewed high-level telephone discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir on regional security and stability. Analysts described Iran’s approach as two-pronged: extending diplomatic engagement with regional states while retaining geopolitical control over the strait and signaling military capability.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the Oman meetings aim to create a bilateral framework for ship movement in maritime waters and are intended solely to protect Iranian and Omani interests. He said the process is not part of talks with the United States and does not mean the Strait of Hormuz will be directly reopened. Baghaei added that conditions in the strait would not return to their pre-war state and accused the United States of launching a military attack on Iran before a stated deadline expired.

US President Donald Trump said discussions between the United States and Iran would begin on Monday, potentially through intermediaries. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on August 3, Trump said the talks could start that afternoon. He said he wanted to pursue an agreement because it could save many lives and avoid what he described as unnecessary use of force.

Trump said the United States was ready to act whenever it chose, but added that he wanted a deal and did not want people to be killed. He said many people die in such circumstances. His remarks presented negotiations as an alternative to military action and emphasized his stated preference for reaching an agreement.

He said a planned “major attack” for Friday had to be cancelled after discussions involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran. Trump said he hoped an understanding could be reached over the management of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said he hoped for an agreement to halt Iran’s nuclear program.

Saudi Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Donald Trump to refrain from launching a major attack against Iran during a Saturday phone call, according to a report cited by Al Mayadeen News Agency. The appeal came amid the ongoing Iran-US war and after Trump disclosed plans to strike Iran’s civilian energy infrastructure. The report said Trump has not yet issued a final order for such an attack.

Saudi officials expressed concern over the potential operation and sought a clear message from Trump about Washington’s next steps, a US official said. A Saudi source said bin Salman asked Trump to de-escalate tensions and abandon the attack plan. The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington did not comment.

Iran warned that it would respond forcefully to any attack by the United States or Israel. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was prepared to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, and would give a specific and proportionate response to regional countries assisting the US or Israel. Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei said Tehran’s response would not be limited to the Gulf region.

US European Command chief General Alexus Grynkewich warned the Pentagon that the United States lacks sufficient military resources to protect Israel from missile attacks amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Washington Post reported on August 2 that Grynkewich sent the warning in an urgent message to senior Pentagon military officials.

He said that without the rapid deployment of another US Navy destroyer, Washington could eventually have to choose between protecting its own forces and defending Israel. Five US Navy destroyers are deployed in the eastern Mediterranean for Israel’s air defense. After five months of continuous operations, missile stocks are declining and the ships require urgent maintenance.

The Pentagon assesses that US forces have fired more than 200 THAAD interceptor missiles in the conflict, nearly half of total stocks. Navy destroyers have also launched more than 100 interceptors. A CSIS analysis said the United States has used about 45 percent of precision strike missiles, at least 50 percent of THAAD and Patriot interceptors, and about 30 percent of Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Donald Trump to help calm Middle East tensions during a telephone call on August 2, expressing concern over plans to expand attacks on Iran. Trump later said he had agreed to cancel military strikes against Iran, while linking that decision to reaching an agreement quickly.

Axios, citing a US official, reported that the crown prince voiced concern and sought clarity about Washington’s plan. A second source familiar with the matter said Mohammed bin Salman asked Trump to de-escalate the situation and refrain from carrying out attacks. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Middle Eastern countries had persuaded him not to attack Iran.

The Associated Press, citing a source familiar with the call, reported Saudi concerns that extensive US attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure, bridges or power plants could prompt Tehran to strike energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. Trump said his decision to cancel military action was made for the future welfare of the world and the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, but depended on a rapid agreement.

US President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of a widely discussed military strike against Iran after threats, counter-threats and sustained military tensions. The report says Trump made the last-minute decision following Iran’s firm position and diplomatic mediation by Middle Eastern countries. He said Iran and other countries in the region had asked him to suspend the attack, and that all sides had agreed on an initial framework for a possible deal.

The escalation began after Iran attacked several ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on 8 July over allegations of unauthorized routes. The United States resumed military attacks on Iran that day, and Trump formally declared an end to the ceasefire. During the second and third weeks of July, Iran struck US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Qatar, as well as ships in Hormuz. Four US troops were reported killed in Jordan and Iraq.

On 20 July, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a full naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The United States paused bombing on 25 July after 13 nights of airstrikes. On 1 August, Iran warned of a proportional response to aggression. Analysts cited casualties and feared global energy-sector destruction as factors in Trump’s decision.

US European Command chief General Alexus Grynkewich has warned that the US Navy may be unable to defend Israel from a potential Iranian missile attack without additional weapons and military equipment. According to a Washington Post report cited by the source, continuing conflict with Iran has left US naval supplies insufficient for operational needs and could also constrain Washington’s ability to protect its interests across the Middle East.

The report said Grynkewich privately told senior Pentagon officials this week that, unless another US Navy destroyer is deployed to the region, Washington may have to choose between defending Israel and prioritizing security of the US homeland. Rising tensions and conflict between the United States and Iran have placed significant pressure on US military capacity, increasing concern within the Pentagon over sustaining security commitments on multiple fronts with limited assets.

Israeli media have reported heightened security alert levels over fears Iran could launch ballistic missile attacks even if Tel Aviv does not directly join a broader US military operation. The United States has deployed additional naval and air forces to the Middle East while seeking to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea and coordinate with allied countries.

Iran warned the United States against what it called any reckless action, saying it would deliver a firm and final response if US forces again strike Iranian targets. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued the warning on Saturday in separate telephone calls with senior officials from Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. He said Iran was prepared to respond firmly and harshly to any external aggression.

In talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Araghchi discussed Iran’s readiness to respond. Speaking with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, he said Iran would launch retaliatory attacks of equal intensity against the United States, Israel, or any other regional country participating in military action. Kuwait’s military meanwhile said it had downed drones launched from Iran toward important facilities.

Noornews, linked to Iran’s top security body, said that if the United States targets Iranian energy infrastructure, Iran would strike oil fields in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as gas fields in Qatar and Israel. President Donald Trump said he still believed US negotiators could reach a diplomatic settlement with Iran, while adding that his trust in Tehran was declining and that he could order another military attack if necessary.

US embassies in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have advised American citizens to remain alert over the prospect of intensified conflict in the Middle East. The notices, reported on August 2, told citizens to consider leaving the region or be ready to depart quickly if tensions worsen.

The security alerts warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions. Americans were advised to prepare for a rapid exit should conditions deteriorate. The notices said US citizens in the region should consider leaving the Middle East or be prepared to leave their country if tensions escalate.

The guidance also included country-specific precautions. In Jordan, Americans were advised to avoid US military bases. In Israel, they were told to identify the location of their nearest bomb shelter in advance. The instructions were issued by US embassies across the listed Middle Eastern countries as part of their security warnings.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud by telephone that Tehran would respond forcefully to any military attack by the United States or Israel. The call came amid tensions in Iran’s foreign and political situation, according to a report published on August 2, 2026.

Araghchi said any US or Israeli attack on Iran would receive a certain and strong response. He also warned that Arab countries in the Middle East that assist or participate with the United States or Israel in such aggression would be targeted in Iran’s retaliation.

The report said news had emerged that US President Donald Trump was discussing plans for military strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure to force the country’s surrender, including urgent meetings with cabinet members. Tehran has issued repeated warnings since those reports. Iran’s stated position is that an attack on its infrastructure or facilities would trigger equally strong retaliatory attacks against similar facilities in US-backed countries in the Middle East.