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After rare public appearance, Khamenei's issues ‘regional war’ warning on Trump's strike threats
Khamenei issued a fresh warning to the US amid Donald Trump's strike threats, saying there would be a “regional war” in the Middle East in case of an attack.
Amid a fresh strain in ties with the US, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made a rare public appearance on Saturday as he visited the shrine of Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic republic's founder in southern Tehran.
A day later, he issued a fresh warning to the US amid President Donald Trump's military strike threats, saying there would be a “regional war” in the Middle East in case of an attack.
Follow live updates on Iran protests and tensions with the US here.
"The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," Khamenei was quoted as saying. His latest remark is being seen as the most-direct threat he has made amid escalating tensions with the US.
"(Trump) regularly says that he brought ships (...) The Iranian nation shall not be scared by these things, the Iranian people will not be stirred by these threats," Khamenei was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
He reportedly likened the recent protests in Iran to a "coup", saying that the goal of the "sedition" was to attack the centres that govern the country.
Before Khamanei's latest warning to the US, Trump said that talks with Iran were underway on a potential “satisfactory” deal. “You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory, with no nuclear weapons, and they should do that. But I don’t know that they will. They are talking to us — seriously talking to us,” Trump said in a media interaction aboard the Air Force One.
Trump vs Khamenei over Iran protests
Trump and Khamenei have been engaged in a war of words ever since protests against the Iranian regime took over the Middle Eastern country back in December. The US President had openly condemned the Khamenei-led crackdown on protestors.
He drew out two red lines for military action: the killing of peaceful protesters or the possible mass execution of those detained in a major crackdown over the demonstrations.
What further triggered speculation of an imminent military conflict was the positioning of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated American warships in the Arabian Sea.
However, any escalation from the US poses serious risks of retaliation from Tehran, which is why many view Trump's threats as efforts to make Tehran negotiate.
The US Navy currently has six destroyers, one aircraft carrier, and three littoral combat ships in the region.
How many dead in Iran protests?
Widespread demonstrations and protests rocked Iran in December as people raised their voices against the Khamenei-led regime. The stir was largely triggered by a dwindling Iranian economy and the poor living conditions of most people in the country.
While the official figures put the death toll at 3,117, US-based HRANA rights group said recently said it had so far verified the death of 6,713 people.
