Tehran, Iran— Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stark warning on Sunday, saying that any military attack by the United States would not be confined to Iran but would ignite a “regional war” across the Middle East. Khamenei spoke at an event in Tehran, dismissing Washington’s deployment of warships and aircraft in the region and urging Iranians not to be intimidated by U.S. military rhetoric. He reiterated that Iran does not seek to start a war, but promised a strong response against any aggression, emphasizing that U.S. threats would not deter the Iranian nation.
Khamenei’s comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of possible military action against Iran in response to Tehran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests and disagreements over its nuclear program. Trump acknowledged ongoing talks with Iranian officials and said Iran was “seriously talking” to the United States, hinting at potential diplomatic engagement even as military pressures escalate.
The warning follows heightened geopolitical tensions, with a U.S. carrier strike group and several warships deployed to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf, raising concerns among analysts of a possible wider conflict. Iranian authorities have also conducted military drills near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and emphasized that any attack would be met with force.
Amid the escalation, Iran’s parliament took a retaliatory step by designating the armies of European Union countries as “terrorist groups” in response to the EU listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, a move reflecting deepening diplomatic fractures.