Iran warns of ‘regional war’ if US attacks; Trump's next move unclear amid rising tensions

IRAN'S Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday warned that any attack by the United States would spark a "regional war" in the Middle East, ratcheting up tensions amid President Donald Trump's threats to attack the Islamic Republic.

“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," Khamenei said in comments on Iranian state television, as per news agency Associated Press.

"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 Iranian Supreme Leader was quoted as saying.

The comment by the 86-year-old Iranian leader is, according to AP, the most direct threat he's made so far in response to Trump sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other American warships to pressure Iran amid the country's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that broke out in late December 2025 against the crash of the Iranian currency and economic hardships.

Khamenei alleges coup as death toll mounts

Khamenei, however, has referred to the nationwide protests as a “coup”.

"The recent sedition was similar to a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed," Khamenei further said, adding, "Their [protesters'] goal was to destroy sensitive and effective centres involved in running the country, and for this reason they attacked the police, government centres, [Revolutionary Guard] facilities, banks and mosques — and burned copies of the Quran. They targeted centres that run the country."

In response, the Iranian government has detained tens of thousands of protesters and killed as many as 30,000, as per local health officials contacted by TIME.

The government maintains that the death toll is a little above 3,000, while the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRNA) confirms nearly 5,500 deaths.

Trump's next move

Despite Trump's threats of military strikes against Tehran in support of protesters, it remains unclear whether the US President will resort to the use of force.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran wants to negotiate, with the US President calling for Tehran to drop its nuclear aims.

In his second term, Trump has already bombed Iran, with the US carrying out strikes against three nuclear facilities in the country, namely the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre, and it remains to be seen what the US President does next.

As of Saturday night, however, Trump declined to say whether he'd decided on what to do regarding Tehran.