Tehran/Washington: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday warned that any military strike by the United States would trigger a “regional war” in the Middle East, sharply escalating rhetoric as US President Donald Trump continues to threaten action against the Islamic Republic.
The remarks mark Khamenei’s most direct warning so far, coming at a time when the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships are deployed in the Arabian Sea. The deployment followed Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests that erupted late last year, drawing international condemnation.
While it remains unclear whether Washington will move toward military action, Trump has repeatedly said Iran wants to negotiate, frequently pointing to Tehran’s nuclear programme as a key concern that must be resolved. At the same time, Khamenei dismissed the ongoing protests as a “coup,” signaling a hardened stance by Iran’s leadership as reports suggest tens of thousands have been detained since demonstrations began.
“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” Khamenei was quoted as saying by Iranian state media. He added that Iran was not seeking conflict but would respond forcefully to any attack or provocation.
Iranian authorities have warned that those arrested during the protests could face severe charges, including sedition, which carries the death penalty. The prospect of mass executions has emerged as a critical red line for Trump, who has said such actions could prompt a US response.
Separately, Iran announced plans to conduct live-fire military drills on Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint through which around one-fifth of global oil trade passes. The US Central Command cautioned Tehran against threatening American forces or disrupting commercial shipping during the exercises.
Khamenei also accused protesters of targeting state institutions, security forces, banks and religious sites, claiming the unrest aimed to destabilise the country. The protests began on December 28 over the sharp fall of Iran’s currency but quickly evolved into a broader challenge to the country’s leadership.
Meanwhile, tensions widened with Europe after Iran’s parliamentary speaker said the Islamic Republic now considers all European Union militaries as terrorist groups. The statement followed the EU’s decision to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation over its handling of the protests.
Trump has outlined two primary triggers for potential US military action: the killing of peaceful demonstrators or mass executions of detainees. He has also revived focus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, an issue that had been the subject of earlier negotiations before Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran last June, during which the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
On Saturday, Trump declined to say whether he had reached a decision on possible strikes, saying opinions differed on whether restraint would embolden Tehran. He reiterated that Iran should negotiate a “satisfactory” deal to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, adding that discussions were ongoing, though no direct talks have been publicly confirmed.
Iranian official Ali Larijani said on social media that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” but Khamenei has consistently ruled out direct negotiations with the United States.
