Iran Claims US Struck Konarak Naval Base in Sistan and Baluchestan, Two Soldiers Wounded

 

KONARAK: Iran's navy has claimed that United States forces struck the Konarak naval base in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province early on Monday, firing what it described as "two light projectiles" at the facility and wounding two Iranian soldiers, Al Jazeera reported.

Main News Report

• The claim: The Iranian navy says US forces attacked the Konarak naval base with "two light projectiles" early on Monday. "The target of the American forces in the attack on the Iranian navy this morning was a 35mm cannon," the navy said, according to Al Jazeera.
• Casualties: Two Iranian soldiers were reportedly wounded in the strikes on the facility, which sits inside a military complex in Sistan and Baluchestan on Iran's southeastern coast, near the Gulf of Oman.
• Not independently verified: The account comes only from Iran's navy. There was no immediate US confirmation of the strike, and the details have not been independently verified.
• Konarak's strategic position: The base lies on Iran's southeastern coastline close to the Gulf of Oman, an area of strategic importance for naval operations and for shipping routes connecting to the Strait of Hormuz.

Background Context

The claim lands in the middle of the wider US-Iran conflict that has repeatedly rattled the region this year. Just hours before the Konarak announcement, President Masoud Pezeshkian met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Tehran and criticised what he called the US and Israel's "unprovoked war" on Iran, IRNA reported. His office also said Pezeshkian told Lavrov that American military bases in the Middle East "are increasing tensions, intensifying disputes, and creating instability and insecurity".

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, appearing alongside Lavrov, accused European nations of being "partners" in the US war on Iran, while the Iranian Armed Forces chief of staff, Major General Ali Abdollahi, claimed the United States "is no longer the superpower it once claimed to be" because Iran has remained united under pressure, Press TV reported.

The region has been on edge for days. On Sunday, a Houthi missile strike on a Yemeni government training camp in Shabwa province killed at least 50 people, according to a government official quoted by AFP. Saudi Arabia has postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative conference — dubbed "Davos in the desert" — to next year amid the violence, and government offices in Riyadh have told staff to work from home as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify.

Reactions and Statements

The Iranian navy: In its statement, the navy identified the United States as responsible for the early-morning strike and specified the weapons used — "two light projectiles" — and the target, a 35mm cannon. No further detail on the damage or the condition of the wounded soldiers was given.

President Masoud Pezeshkian: Told Lavrov that "sustainable security in the region must be ensured based on mutual trust, participation of regional countries, and respect for the legitimate interests of all parties", and said it was "the interventions and divisive policies of the United States that have led to differences in our region". He also criticised the killing of Iran's leadership, commanders, scientists and students, saying these actions "did not comply with any logic or legal or international standards" while Iran was on the path of dialogue.

Major General Ali Abdollahi: The Iranian Armed Forces chief of staff said President Donald Trump "tried everything but failed because the Iranian government and people remain united", adding that "no aggressor will be allowed to threaten Iran or violate its sovereignty".

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi: Speaking at the 8th Global Security Forum in Doha on Sunday, he highlighted Pakistan's mediation between the US and Iran, saying "there were moments when the situation was extremely tense, but we never gave up".

Why This News Matters

• Direct escalation risk: If confirmed, a US strike on an Iranian military installation would mark a sharp escalation in the confrontation, raising the prospect of Iranian retaliation.
• Energy and trade exposure: Brent crude futures rose to around $110 a barrel after the weekend's attacks, Reuters reported. The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz remain the region's most sensitive waterways for global oil flows, and any disruption near Konarak would hit energy markets hard.
• Pakistan's stake: Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator between Washington and Tehran — including through the June Islamabad memorandum — and shares a long border with Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province. Traders in Quetta have already been urging calm amid disruption at the Iran border crossing.
• Diplomatic fallout: Iran has summoned Germany's ambassador over what it called "baseless accusations", and Tehran is publicly framing Europe as complicit in the US campaign — widening the diplomatic rift.

Future Developments

The next steps hinge on whether Washington confirms, denies or ignores the Iranian claim. Tehran has not yet announced any retaliatory action, but its leadership has vowed that no violation of its sovereignty will go unanswered. Markets will be watching the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices, while Pakistan's leadership — already under pressure from the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Makkah defence pact — is likely to renew its mediation push between the two sides.

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