Iran has warned that it could treat United States military bases in Europe as potential targets and launch retaliatory missiles if host countries support Washington in attacking Tehran, raising the risk that a wider Middle East conflict could reach Europe. All range and targeting claims in this report are Iranian claims, not independently verified facts.

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security Committee, told Euronews that if the US uses military bases in Europe, including in Italy and Germany, Iran will launch missiles to attack targets in Europe. He said Iran would strike any base used against it, as well as what he called the tangible and intangible assets of countries supporting the US, and warned that Europe would face consequences this time for supporting an American attack.

IRGC promises a response with no geographical limits

On 4 November, the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said there would be an "immediate, effective response with no geographical limits to every level and type of threat", citing orders attributed to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to update Iran's target list. A Tehran newspaper, Hamshahri, published a map identifying American military installations in nine European countries — the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Romania, Albania, Portugal and Cyprus — as potential targets.

Iranian state-aligned media have claimed that Iran's ballistic missiles could reach distances exceeding 2,000 kilometres, and in some reports more than 4,000 kilometres. Those figures are Iranian claims and remain disputed; no independent verification has been published. Whether the warnings represent immediate operational intent or a political signal aimed at deterring European involvement remains unclear.

Sources: Euronews via StockBiz, Middle East tensions risk spreading to Europe, 5 November 2026; Pollar, Iran threatens European bases, including those in Italy, 5 November 2026.