Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared that if the US attacks Iran, it will lead to regional conflict. This was reported by state media on Sunday.
The US has strengthened its naval presence in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with intervention if it did not agree to a nuclear deal and stop the violent suppression of demonstrations. The US Navy currently has six destroyers, one aircraft carrier, and three coastal combat ships in the region.
"The Iranian nation will not be intimidated, the Iranian people will not be provoked by these threats," Khamenei said. "We are not the initiators and we do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a powerful blow to anyone who attacks and persecutes it," he added.
Tehran also announced that it is ready for "fair" negotiations that will not lead to a reduction in its defense capabilities.
The protests, which began in late December due to economic difficulties but turned into the most acute political challenge since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, have now subsided after repression. The unrest claimed thousands of victims. Khamenei compares them to a "coup."
(reuters, sak)