Nicosia, Cyprus. A senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps (IRGC) warned of intensified missile attacks on Cyprus, citing what he claimed was an expanded United States military presence on the island. Cypriot officials said the republic is not a target and is not participating in any military operations.
IRGC statement and claimed US military presence
IRGC General Sardar Jabbari was quoted by Iranian state-affiliated media as claiming that Washington had transferred a significant number of aircraft to Cyprus and that this would prompt a forceful response.
“The Americans have moved most of their aircraft to Cyprus. We will launch missiles at Cyprus with such intensity that the Americans will be forced to leave the island,” Jabbari said.
Context of regional instability and base incidents
The statements follow drone incidents at the British bases in Akrotiri and amid broader instability in the Middle East following the death of supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Cyprus government response
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis repeated that Cyprus itself is not a target and that the republic is not participating in any military operations.
He said any threats or hostile rhetoric are directed at the British bases and not at the Cypriot state.
“Cyprus has never been, and is not, a target.”
Defence minister’s assessment
In a closed briefing with journalists, Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas described the Iranian general’s comments as “expected” in the current geopolitical climate.
He dismissed the veracity of Jabbari’s intent, with the bombastic language reflecting a broader power vacuum and internal uncertainty within Iran.
He told reporters that such “vitriolic rhetoric” often intensifies during periods of internal transition and should be assessed with caution rather than alarm.
How do you assess Cyprus’s position amid threats linked to military activity at the British bases?
