Regional War Possible if US Attacks, Khamenei Says

Washington/Tehran: US President Donald Trump has indicated that Iran is in talks with the United States, raising the possibility of a diplomatic deal that could avoid military strikes, even as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any US attack would trigger a regional conflict.

Trump’s comments came as Washington deployed a naval battle group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off Iran’s coast, following his threats to intervene amid Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests.

“The plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something. Otherwise, we’ll see what happens … We have a big fleet heading out there,” Trump told Fox News. He added that US allies were not being briefed on the plans for security reasons, and declined to confirm whether a decision had been made regarding military action.

Trump emphasized that Iran should negotiate a “satisfactory” deal to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons but noted uncertainty over the outcome. “I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us,” he said.

The US naval deployment has heightened concerns of a direct confrontation with Iran. The country has threatened missile strikes against US bases, ships, and regional allies, including Israel, in the event of an attack.

On Sunday, Iranian state media cited Ayatollah Khamenei saying, “The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war. 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.”

Earlier, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian had downplayed Tehran’s desire for conflict, telling Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that Iran “has never sought, and in no way seeks, war” and believes such a conflict would not serve the interests of either country or the region.

Qatar also stepped in diplomatically, with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani visiting Tehran on Saturday to meet Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in an effort to de-escalate regional tensions.

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