As the regional conflict enters its third week, tensions have reached a boiling point following major US airstrikes on Iran’s Kharg Island.
On March 14, 2026, Professor Seyyed Mohammad Marandi of Tehran University issued a stern warning to residents of the United Arab Emirates, urging them to flee areas near US military interests.
The warning follows a massive operation where President Donald Trump claimed US forces “obliterated every military target” on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub.
While the US stated it deliberately avoided hitting energy infrastructure, Marandi and Iranian military officials signaled that the UAE’s role in hosting US assets makes it a primary target.
In a direct address to UAE leaders, officials stated, “the Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate right to strike the source of American enemy missile launches at the ports, docks and hideouts of US military personnel.”
The UAE has already faced waves of retaliatory drone and missile strikes with recent interceptions reported over Fujairah and Dubai.
Marandi’s warning emphasizes that anyone near these “hideouts” should leave “to avoid any harm,” as Tehran vows that further escalation will turn regional energy infrastructure “to ashes.”
