TEHRAN (Realist English). Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Sunday that any US attack on the Islamic Republic would trigger a “regional war”, responding to Washington’s expanded military presence in the Gulf and renewed threats from President Donald Trump.
“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, adding that Iran would not be intimidated by US military deployments.
The warning came after the United States significantly increased its naval presence in the Middle East. The US Navy is currently operating six destroyers, one aircraft carrier and three littoral combat ships in the region. Earlier this week, Trump said a “massive armada” was heading towards Iran, reiterating that Washington could intervene unless Tehran agreed to a nuclear deal and halted its violent suppression of protests.
Khamenei dismissed the threats, saying the Iranian people would not be “stirred” by displays of force. “We are not the initiators and do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow against anyone who attacks and harasses them,” he said.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Iranian officials have continued to signal openness to diplomacy. Tehran says it is ready for “fair” negotiations, provided they do not seek to limit the country’s defensive capabilities. On Saturday, Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing”, downplaying what he described as a “contrived media war”.
Trump also confirmed that dialogue was under way, though he stopped short of withdrawing his threats. “We’ll see what happens,” he said.
The standoff unfolds against the backdrop of months-long unrest in Iran, which began in late December amid a deepening economic crisis marked by soaring inflation and rising living costs. The protests have largely subsided following a wave of repression. Khamenei has previously described the unrest as a “coup”, accusing its organisers of seeking to attack the country’s governing institutions.
Official Iranian figures put the death toll linked to the unrest at 3,117. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, however, said it has verified at least 6,713 deaths so far.
According to Middle East Eye, the Trump administration is considering precision strikes on what it describes as “high-value” Iranian officials and commanders allegedly responsible for the crackdown on protesters. The violence has already triggered diplomatic retaliation: the European Union designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation, prompting Iranian lawmakers to apply the same label to European armed forces.
While both Tehran and Washington continue to trade warnings over possible military action, officials on both sides have so far left open the possibility of negotiations, keeping diplomacy — at least formally — on the table.