Iran Warns Hotels Hosting U.S. Troops Could Become Targets
According to Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi, any location accommodating U.S. forces could be treated as a military site. “When all the Americans go into a hotel, then from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” Shekarchi said in an interview with state television. “Should we just stand by and let the Americans strike us? Wh
en we respond, naturally we have to strike wherever they are.” The statement signals a potential escalation in the region, raising concerns about civilian infrastructure being drawn into military conflict. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. troops of putting civilians at risk by relocating outside military bases. In a post on X, Araghchi claimed that American forces had moved into hotels and office buildings in countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), effectively using civilians as “human shields.” He also urged regional hotels to refuse accommodation to U.S. military personnel. The remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions, with fears growing over the potential expansion of conflict across the Middle East.