Iran threatens US: Any attack to ignite 'regional war'
Photo: Ali Khamenei (Getty Images)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any US attack would spark "regional war" in the Middle East, according to Associated Press and Bloomberg.
Khamenei said that the US must understand that if it wages a war now, it will be "a regional war."
"We are not the instigators, we are not going to be unfair to anyone, we don’t plan to attack any country. But if anyone shows greed and wants to attack or harass, the Iranian nation will deal a heavy blow to them," Iran's supreme leader said.
AP noted that Khamenei's remarks were a direct response to statements by US President Donald Trump, who has said the US is prepared to strike Iran over Tehran's violent crackdown on nationwide protests.
The statement also came as the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying warships were operating in the Arabian Sea.
However, it remains unclear whether Trump will resort to military force. He has repeatedly said he wants negotiations and has raised Iran's nuclear program as another issue he seeks to address.
Turning to the protests, Khamenei described them as a "coup," claiming demonstrators targeted key centers of state authority.
"The coup was suppressed. 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 – ed.) facilities, banks, and mosques, and burned copies of the Quran," Khamenei said.
Risk of US–Iran confrontation
According to AP, Iran planned to conduct live-fire military exercises on Sunday and Monday in the Strait of Hormuz—a narrow chokepoint at the entrance to the Persian Gulf that carries about one-fifth of global oil trade.
However, the US military's Central Command warned that any threats to American warships or aircraft during the drills would be unacceptable, as would any disruption to commercial shipping.
US prepares strikes on Iran
Earlier, sources cited by The Wall Street Journal said President Trump had instructed his team to develop options for rapid military action against Iran.
The measures were described as decisive but aimed at avoiding a prolonged US military engagement in the Middle East.
In addition, The New York Times recently reported that Trump was presented with several expanded strike scenarios against Iran, including the possibility of a ground invasion.
