Iran warned Gulf neighbours of 'blackout' if US struck power plants: Report

Iran stepped up its warnings to Gulf neighbours last week, telling them it would "black out" the region if the United States targeted its power plants and providing a list of potential targets, two officials told AFP.

The warning came after US President Donald Trump threatened a massive military strike on Iran before later stepping back, citing appeals from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough.

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"Iran threatened to black out the Gulf, country by country, if Trump attacked its power plants," a Gulf official told AFP. A second regional official confirmed that the message had been conveyed.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Trump had said the proposed operation would have been "the biggest attack since World War II," while US media reported he was considering strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure, a target he has repeatedly threatened to hit.

According to the officials, Iran communicated through intermediaries that any attack on its power plants would be met with strikes on similar infrastructure across the Gulf.

While Tehran has publicly issued similar warnings in the past, the latest message was "very serious", the Gulf official said, adding that it included "a long list of targets they would attack".

The warning followed heightened tensions in mid-July, when Trump threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran responded at the time by warning of an "eye for an eye" retaliation.

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The Gulf official said Iran's latest message specifically identified power plants and water desalination facilities as potential targets. Much of the Gulf region relies on desalination plants for its drinking water.

After Trump called off the planned strikes, Saudi Arabia announced that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken with the US president in an effort to reduce regional tensions.

The Gulf has been at the centre of the broader confrontation between Iran and the United States, with attacks during the conflict targeting US assets as well as civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, ports and airports.

Although a ceasefire and a subsequent memorandum of understanding were reached in April and June, respectively, sporadic attacks continued. The exchanges intensified after the ceasefire collapsed in July, with strikes largely focused on Kuwait and Bahrain.