TEHRAN, Mar 27 (V7N) – In a sharp escalation of rhetoric that has sent shockwaves through the Middle East’s hospitality and tourism sectors, the Iranian Armed Forces issued a formal warning on Friday, March 27, declaring that hotels accommodating US military personnel will be treated as military targets. According to a report by Al Jazeera, citing Iranian state television, Tehran has signaled its intent to expand its strike zone to civilian infrastructure currently being utilized by American forces.

"Every Hotel is an American Base"

Major General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces, delivered the warning during a televised address, stating that the presence of US troops effectively reclassifies civilian buildings as military assets. "When American troops enter a hotel, from our perspective, that hotel becomes American," Shekarchi asserted. "We will not sit idly by while they coordinate attacks against us. We will strike them wherever they are stationed."

The "Human Shield" Allegation

This military warning follows a provocative statement from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who took to social media platform ‘X’ on Thursday to accuse the US military of using the citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as "human shields."

Araghchi claimed that since the joint US-Israeli "Operation Epic Fury" began on February 28, American personnel have increasingly vacated hardened military bases in countries like Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, opting instead to relocate to luxury hotels and commercial office buildings in densely populated urban centers. "The US military is hiding among civilians," Araghchi posted, while calling on regional governments and hotel chains to "immediately reject bookings" for American troops to ensure the safety of their own citizens.

Impact on Regional Security

The threat has placed Gulf nations on high alert, with security being drastically tightened around major international hotel chains in Dubai, Doha, and Manama. International security analysts warn that this directive could lead to a catastrophic expansion of the conflict into civilian areas, potentially affecting thousands of international travelers and expatriates.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not yet officially responded to the specific threat against hotels, though a spokesperson for the State Department previously characterized Iranian rhetoric as "desperate attempts to intimidate regional partners." As the war enters its fifth week, the "hotel warning" marks a dangerous new chapter in the asymmetric warfare currently defining the Persian Gulf crisis.

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