Web Desk (MNN); Qatar on Wednesday said it had taken precautionary measures at the US-operated Al Udeid Air Base, including the departure of some personnel, in view of escalating tensions in the region.
In a statement, Qatar’s International Media Office said the steps were part of broader efforts to ensure the safety of citizens and residents, as well as to protect vital infrastructure and military installations. It added that any further developments would be communicated through official channels.
The announcement followed reports by the Wall Street Journal and CBS that the US military was evacuating some personnel from the base as a preventive measure.
Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had warned neighbouring countries hosting US forces that their American bases would be targeted if Washington intervened in Iran’s internal unrest. The official said Iran had conveyed this message to several regional states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkiye.
Protests across Iran, initially triggered by economic grievances, have grown into one of the most serious challenges to the leadership since the 1979 revolution. Former US president Donald Trump has warned Iran of possible intervention over the crackdown on demonstrators.
The Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had urged US allies in the region to restrain Washington. He also said direct contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended due to mounting tensions.
There was no immediate comment from the US embassy in Doha. Unlike last year, there were no signs of a large-scale relocation of troops to nearby civilian facilities.
According to an Israeli assessment, Trump has decided to intervene, though the timing and scope remain unclear. Separately, senior Iranian official Ali Shamkhani warned that a previous Iranian strike on a US base in Qatar had demonstrated Tehran’s ability to respond to any attack.
Iran has also announced it will expedite trials of those arrested during the protests. In Tehran, authorities held funerals for more than 100 security personnel killed during what officials described as riots.
Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said swift legal action would be taken against those accused of violent crimes. State media showed him personally questioning detainees in a Tehran prison.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu said international phone services in Iran had resumed, enabling Pakistanis to contact their families.
Trump said in an interview that the US would take strong action if Iran executed protesters, calling Tehran’s response a pretext for foreign intervention. Iran’s UN mission rejected the warnings, saying US policies were aimed at destabilising the country.
Rights groups accuse Iranian authorities of killing protesters and concealing the scale of the crackdown through an internet shutdown that lasted several days. Amnesty International has urged Iran to halt executions, while international criticism has mounted, including from European nations.
Iranian officials have not released official casualty figures, though rights organisations claim hundreds have been killed. Despite the unrest, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said pro-government rallies prove the protest movement has been defeated.
Analysts say the protests pose a serious challenge but caution against predicting the immediate collapse of Iran’s ruling system, citing the strength of its security apparatus.
