Iran’s supreme leader warned Sunday that any strike from the US would trigger a “regional war” in the Middle East — his most direct threat yet after President Trump suggested Tehran must negotiate or risk attack.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued his latest threat after American warships — including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln — steamed into the region in recent weeks.
Tehran has repeatedly threatened retaliatory, and even preemptive strikes, on US troops in the region should America attack Iran.
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 17, 2026. LEADER'S OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” Khamenei said, according to state TV.
“We are not the instigators and we do not seek to attack any country. But the Iranian nation will deliver a firm blow to anyone who attacks or harasses it,” the ayatollah added.
Despite the threats, Trump said that Iran was “seriously” negotiating with the US, stressing that an “acceptable” deal over the country’s nuclear program was close at hand.
“You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons,” Trump told reporters on Saturday. “They should do that, but I don’t know that they will.
“But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us,” he stressed.
The president refused to say if military strikes were on the table if a deal is not made, warning that America has “very big, powerful ships” accumulating in the region.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated American warships are in the Arabian Sea. US NAVY/AFP via Getty ImagesTensions between Washington and Tehran have remained high following the deadly crackdown on anti-regime protesters last month.
Trump had warned that the US could strike the Islamic Republic if the regime continued to massacre and execute peaceful protesters or the mass executions.
While Khamenei initially tried to separate the protesters between legitimate demonstrators angry at an ailing economy and “rioters,” the supreme leader has now taken a hardened stance to defend the violence against the citizens who have turned out in their thousands.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport on Jan. 31, 2026. AP“The recent sedition was similar to a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed,” he said of the violence that reportedly left more than 6,000 dead.
“Their goal was to destroy sensitive and effective centers involved in running the country, and for this reason they attacked the police, government centers, (Revolutionary Guard) facilities, banks and mosques — and burned copies of the Quran,” Khamenei said.
The remarks from Khamenei came as Iran’s parliament announced that the Islamic Republic now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist groups.
Iranian protesters take over a street in Tehran during an anti-government demonstration on Jan. 8, 2026. AP
Iranian parliament members dressed in IRGC uniforms chant “Death to America” during a session in Tehran on Feb. 1, 2026. ICANA NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images
A protester calls on President Donald Trump to “Act Now” against the Iranian regime during a protest outside the US Embassy in London, England, on Jan. 31, 2026. Andrea Domeniconi/SOPA Images/ShutterstockThe move was a direct response to the EU’s move to label Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard a terror group over its deadly crackdown on nationwide protests.
“By seeking to strike at the (Guard), which itself has been the greatest barrier to the spread of terrorism to Europe, Europeans have in fact shot themselves in the foot and, once again, through blind obedience to the Americans, decided against the interests of their own people,” said Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and former Guard commander.
The decision was met with chants of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” in parliament.
With Post wires
