Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any US military attack on Iran would trigger a wider regional conflict, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to escalate.
“If they start a war this time, it will be a regional war,” Khamenei said on Sunday while addressing a large crowd in downtown Tehran. The speech marked the anniversary of the return of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from exile in 1979, an event that led to Iran’s Islamic Revolution and the overthrow of the US-backed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Khamenei accused the United States of seeking to dominate Iran and exploit its natural resources, including oil, gas, and valuable minerals. He said Iran’s resistance to American influence was the core issue between the two countries.
“For more than 30 years, Americans were present in Iran, and our oil, politics, and security were in their hands,” Khamenei said, adding that the US now wants to “devour” Iran’s vast resources.
The supreme leader also blamed the United States for Iran’s recent anti-government protests, describing the unrest as a failed coup attempt. He said attackers targeted police stations, government buildings, Revolutionary Guard facilities, banks, and mosques, calling the violence another example of what he termed “sedition.”
“The recent sedition was similar to a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed,” Khamenei said, referring to previous protest movements, including the 2009 Green Movement.
Following Khamenei’s remarks, US President Donald Trump responded by expressing hope that Tehran would agree to negotiations.
Asked about the supreme leader’s warning, Trump told reporters: “Of course he is going to say that.
“Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right.”
