Iran’s Supreme Leader Warns U.S. Any Attack Would Spark Regional Conflict

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stark warning on Feb .1, that any U.S. military attack would not be tolerated. 

“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," Khamenei told a crowd in Tehran during commemorations of the Islamic Revolution.

Khamenei also said Washington should understand that a conflict would not be confined to Iran’s borders and could engulf the wider Middle East.

“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” Khamenei said as U.S. military assets, including an aircraft carrier group, have been deployed to the region. He also accused the United States of coveting Iran’s oil and natural resources saying that they wanted to “seize this country, just as they controlled it before,"  while rejecting the notion of Iranian aggression.

Despite the threats, U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that Iran is “seriously talking” with Washington on issues including its nuclear program, and there are indications of some progress toward negotiations, helped by regional mediators. However, Iranian officials stress that talks cannot proceed under the shadow of U.S. military threats, and Tehran rejects discussing key matters like its missile capabilities.

The United States has continued to apply pressure through economic sanctions, targeting Iranian leaders and expanding its military footprint in the Middle East, including deploying additional warships and conducting aerial exercises. These actions are part of what Washington says are effort to compel Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions, a program Iran has always insisted is peaceful.

Many of the U.S' Gulf allies are urging restraint, warning that open conflict could destabilize the region further.

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