Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned that if the United States were to start a war, it would this time spread across the region.
Speaking on Sunday morning at a meeting with groups from different segments of society, Ayatollah Khamenei said remarks by US officials about war and the deployment of aircraft and naval forces to the region were nothing new.
He noted that American officials had repeatedly issued threats in the past, claiming that “all options are on the table,” including the option of war.
“Now this man as well,” he said, referring to US President Donald Trump, “keeps claiming that we brought aircraft carriers and so on. One should not frighten the Iranian nation of these things. The Iranian people are not affected by such threats.”
The Leader stressed that Iran would not be the initiator of a war and had no intention of attacking any country, adding, “But the Iranian nation will deliver a firm blow to anyone who attacks or harasses it.”
He also referred to the recent unrest in Iran, describing it as a sedition resembling a coup attempt that was suppressed.
“Their objective was to destroy sensitive and effective centers involved in running the country. That is why they attacked the police, government institutions, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps centers, banks and mosques, and burned the Quran. This was similar to a coup,” he said.
Protests in Iran in the final days of 2025 turned violent and resulted in casualties. Iranian officials said the violence was fueled by the involvement of foreign-linked terrorist groups, which prompted security forces to intervene.
