NAIROBI, March 2, 2026-Iran’s Ambassador to Kenya Dr. Ali Gholampsour has moved to de-escalate regional anxiety, categorically stating that Kenya is not a target in Tehran’s widening military confrontation with the United States and Israel.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Dr. Ali Gholampsour sought to decouple Kenya from the immediate theater of war stating that while Tehran views U.S military bases used for strikes as “American territory”, Kenya’s current military cooperation with Washington does not pose a direct threat to the Islamic republic.
“Iran will not target Kenya,” Gholampour told reporters. “As a country, Kenya doesn’t provide a U.S. military facility with a magnitude to attack Iran.”
Iran’s missile campaign has so far struck multiple countries across the Gulf and Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
The surge in hostilities followed weekend strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets, attacks that reportedly killed several of the country’s top officials.
Speaking amid growing international concern, Ambassador Gholampour said Kenya is unlikely to face any direct threat. He noted that the country does not host a U.S. military installation of sufficient strategic significance to warrant an attack.
In a strongly worded response, the Iranian Ambassador to Kenya condemned the recent attacks carried out by the United States and Israel, describing them as acts of aggression that have fueled regional instability.
However, he sought to allay fears locally, stating that Kenya is not among Iran’s intended targets and does not feature in its strategic calculations.
“This country does not provide a US military facility with a magnitude to attack Iran,” he said.
The Iranian Ambassador to Kenya described the Saturday morning strikes by the United States and Israel as “cowardly” and a blatant breach of international law, calling them “a fragrant violation of international peace and stability.” The attacks have triggered a wider conflict across the Middle East, with Iran launching retaliatory strikes against U.S. and allied positions in the region and drawing widespread global concern.
“You have opened a door that you cannot close,” he warned, calling on the United Nations to call an end to the escalation.
Several Middle Eastern countries — including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates — announced partial airspace closures following missile strikes on Saturday, escalating tensions across the Gulf region.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, Kenya Airways suspended flights to Dubai and Sharjah until further notice, citing safety concerns.
President William Ruto condemned the attacks, warning that the regional expansion of the conflict poses a serious threat to international peace and security. He called for urgent diplomatic engagement aimed at de-escalation and the opening of dialogue to prevent further instability.
“At this defining and perilous moment in global history, longstanding multilateral institutions remain indispensable frameworks for the resolution of the current crisis in the Middle East,” Ruto said.
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi issued a travel and safety advisory to citizens residing in or transiting through the Middle East, urging heightened caution amid the escalating conflict.
The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session to address the fighting, during which Iran’s envoy accused the United States and Israel of potentially committing a “war crime” by targeting civilians.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned that continued military action in the Middle East risks triggering an uncontrollable chain of events, underscoring the danger of further escalation.
