TEHRAN (MNN); Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday warned the United States that any military attack on Iran would trigger a “regional war”, as US President Donald Trump continues to deploy military assets in the Middle East.
Addressing a large gathering in central Tehran to mark the anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s return from exile in 1979, Khamenei said the US should understand that initiating a conflict would have consequences beyond Iran’s borders. He accused Washington of seeking control over Iran’s vast oil and gas resources.
Referring to recent anti-government protests, the supreme leader described the unrest as a “sedition” similar to a coup attempt, alleging that key government institutions, banks, mosques and security installations were attacked. He claimed the disturbances were aimed at weakening the state and were eventually suppressed.
Following Khamenei’s remarks, President Trump said he hoped Iran would agree to a deal, adding that the outcome would determine whether the Iranian leader’s warning proved accurate.
The protests, which began in late December over economic hardship and currency collapse amid sanctions, later expanded into nationwide demonstrations against political restrictions, energy shortages and environmental crises. International organisations and rights groups have alleged that thousands were killed during the unrest, while Iranian authorities have blamed “foreign-backed terrorists” and released significantly lower casualty figures.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged to publish details of all those killed, saying the move would counter what the government calls exaggerated and false claims.
Amid efforts to ease domestic tensions, the Iranian government announced that women would soon be allowed to ride motorcycles, a practice previously banned under Iranian law.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after the European Union designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. In response, Iranian lawmakers staged demonstrations in parliament, chanting anti-US slogans, while Tehran proscribed the EU’s armed forces.
Security forces, including the IRGC and army units, also held parades across Tehran as part of events marking the revolution’s anniversary, projecting a show of strength and defiance.
