In a stark warning, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has asserted that any military action by the United States would trigger a 'regional war' in the Middle East. This statement comes as tensions escalate between the US and Iran, with President Donald Trump threatening military action in response to the Iranian government's crackdown on nationwide protests. The 86-year-old Ayatollah's comments mark the most direct threat he has made so far, following the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and other American warships to the Arabian Sea. Trump has repeatedly suggested that Iran is open to negotiations, bringing up Tehran's nuclear program as an issue he wants to resolve. However, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the nationwide protests as 'a coup', hardening the government's stance amid reports of tens of thousands of people being detained since the demonstrations began. The Iranian leader's warning about a US attack triggering a broader conflict is met with a cautious response from Trump, who says, 'Of course, he is going to say that.' The situation is further complicated by the European Union's decision to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, a move that Iranian politicians have retaliated against by applying the same designation to European armies. As tensions rise, the question remains: will dialogue prevail or will military action escalate the conflict?
