Iran-US tensions: How Tehran's missile range covers key America bases in Middle East amid Araghchi's threat of attack

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that he was optimistic negotiations with the United States could restart in the near future, while again underscoring Iran’s non-negotiable positions and cautioning Washington against any military action.

The discussions on Friday between the long-time adversaries took place against the backdrop of a significant US military buildup in the region, following Iran’s harsh response to protests that erupted in late December over economic hardships.

On Saturday, Araghchi cautioned that Iran would respond to any US attack by striking American military installations in the Gulf, saying such retaliation would focus on regional bases rather than the United States itself. “It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he told Al Jazeera.

He added, “We will not attack neighbouring countries; rather, we will target US bases stationed in them. There is a big difference between the two."

According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran is believed to possess about 2,000 medium-range ballistic missiles capable of striking targets throughout the region, along with shorter-range missiles that can reach US military bases in the Gulf.

The Sejjil medium-range ballistic missile has a reported range of up to 2,000 kilometres, enabling it to strike targets throughout the Middle East, including Israel, as well as parts of southeastern Europe; within its potential reach are Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, several installations in Kuwait such as Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iraq’s Al-Asad Air Base, and other key US military assets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey.

The Emad and Ghadr-1 are advanced medium-range ballistic missiles with ranges of about 1,700 kilometres, giving them the capability to strike targets such as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, key facilities in Kuwait including Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iraq’s Al-Asad Air Base, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, and installations in Jordan and Syria.

The Fattah-1, Haj Qasem and Kheibar Shekan missiles, all prominent systems developed mainly by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, have ranges of roughly 1,400 kilometres and could reach US and allied bases including Al Udeid in Qatar, Ali Al Salem and Ahmed Al Jaber Air Bases in Kuwait, the US Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and sites in Jordan and Syria.

The Dezful missile, a medium-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of around 1,000 kilometres, is capable of targeting locations such as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ain al-Assad Air Base in Iraq, Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, the US Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and parts of eastern Saudi Arabia including Prince Sultan Air Base.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have said that 3,117 people died during the unrest, releasing a list of 2,986 names on Sunday. Officials said most of those killed were security personnel and civilians not involved in the demonstrations, according to AFP.

International organisations dispute those figures, estimating a much higher death toll. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which has tracked the unrest since it began, reports it has confirmed 6,961 deaths, largely protesters, with an additional 11,630 cases still being examined. It has also recorded more than 50,000 arrests.