Trump warns Iran as Middle East energy tensions escalate over strikes on gas fields

2026-03-19 - 08:20

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has said that the United States had no prior knowledge of the reported Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field, according to a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social. Trump described Iran’s South Pars gas field as an “extremely important and valuable asset,” adding that Israel would not carry out another strike on the facility. However, he warned Iran against any potential attack on Qatar, saying the United States would respond strongly if such an incident occurs. He further cautioned that any Iranian strike on Qatar could prompt a severe US response, including possible destruction of the South Pars gas field, warning that such retaliation would be of a magnitude Iran has “never seen before.” Trump also termed the reported attacks on Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure as unjustified and warned that further escalation could lead to dangerous consequences, while emphasizing that the United States does not seek prolonged violence due to its long-term implications for Iran. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that Israeli strikes had targeted energy facilities linked to the South Pars field, which is connected to Qatar’s North Field expansion. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry described attacks on energy infrastructure as a threat to global energy security. The United Arab Emirates also expressed concern over strikes on the jointly shared Pars gas field, noting that any targeting of such facilities could pose a serious risk to global energy markets. Separately, Iran announced a new wave of retaliatory actions, with its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming responsibility for targeting oil facilities linked to the United States under its “Operation True Promise 4.” The IRGC said the operation was dedicated to senior intelligence officials killed in earlier US and Israeli strikes. Iran stated it did not intend to expand the conflict to energy infrastructure or harm the economies of neighboring countries, but added that recent attacks on its own energy facilities have pushed the situation into a new phase, making defensive measures necessary, including targeting US-linked energy assets.