Tehran, Iran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that if the United States attacked Iran it would become a regional conflict, state media reported on Sunday, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Khamenei comments amid rising tensions
Khamenei said President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to bringing ships to the region and said Iranians would not be intimidated by such threats. He said Iran does not seek to attack any country, but would respond strongly against anyone who attacks or harasses the Iranian people.
Naval presence and negotiation signals
The United States has increased its naval presence in the Middle East after Trump threatened intervention if Iran did not agree to a nuclear deal or failed to stop killing protesters. The US Navy currently has six destroyers, one aircraft carrier, and three littoral combat ships in the region.
Both Tehran and Washington have signalled a possible resumption of talks to reach a deal as tension mounted in the Gulf, with Tehran saying it is ready for “fair” negotiations that do not seek to curtail its defensive capabilities. Trump told reporters on Saturday that Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, hours after Tehran’s top security official Ali Larijani said on X that arrangements for negotiations were underway. Trump said he hoped for an acceptable negotiated deal with no nuclear weapons.
Protests and disputed death toll figures
Protests that began in late December over economic hardships and developed into the most acute political challenge to the Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979 have now abated after repression.
Official numbers put the unrest-related death toll at 3,117, while U.S.-based HRANA rights group said on Sunday it had so far verified the death of 6,713 people. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the numbers.
What impact could renewed negotiations have on tensions between Iran and the United States?