By peterside Rejoice
United States President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Iran, despite stern warnings from Tehran that any American military action would spark a wider regional conflict.
Trump spoke on Sunday after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cautioned that a US attack on the Islamic Republic would not be limited in scope but would escalate into a regional war.
Tensions between the two countries have intensified following Iran’s deadly crackdown on anti-government protests that peaked last month. In response, Washington threatened military action and ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, Khamenei described the recent protests as a “coup”, alleging that they were orchestrated by foreign enemies. He warned that Iran would respond decisively to any act of aggression.
“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” Khamenei said, urging Iranians not to be intimidated by President Trump’s rhetoric.
He accused protesters of attacking security agencies, government institutions, banks and mosques, and of burning copies of the Quran. According to him, the unrest amounted to an attempted coup which had been “suppressed”.
Reacting to the warning, Trump told reporters that he remained hopeful of a diplomatic resolution.
“Of course he is going to say that. Hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right,” the US president said.
The protests initially erupted over rising living costs but later evolved into a broader anti-government movement. Iranian authorities have consistently described the demonstrations as riots instigated by the United States and Israel.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities ordered the release on bail of a 26-year-old protester, Erfan Soltani, following warnings from Washington that he was facing execution. Soltani was arrested in January on charges of propaganda against Iran’s Islamic system and acting against national security.
While US officials claimed Soltani was on death row, Iranian authorities denied the claim, insisting he had never been sentenced to death and that the charges did not carry capital punishment.
As tensions escalated, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said he was concerned about possible “miscalculations” but expressed confidence in Trump’s judgment.
“I believe President Trump is wise enough to make the correct decision,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran had lost trust in the US as a negotiating partner.
He disclosed that some regional countries were acting as intermediaries to rebuild confidence, noting that renewed talks could be possible if Washington pursued what he described as a fair and equitable agreement to prevent nuclear weapons development.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged thousands of deaths during the unrest. On Sunday, the presidency released a list of 2,986 names from the 3,117 people reportedly killed, stating that 131 victims were yet to be identified.
Officials maintained that most of the casualties were security personnel and innocent civilians, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts”. However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency claimed it had verified 6,842 deaths, most of whom were protesters.
The situation prompted the European Union to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. In retaliation, Iranian lawmakers classified European armies as terrorist groups.
In a show of defiance, lawmakers appeared in parliament wearing IRGC uniforms, chanting anti-Western slogans including “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, according to state television footage.
The immediate impact of the designation remains unclear, although similar classifications have already been adopted by the United States, Canada and Australia.
Despite the heated rhetoric, Iranian officials insisted that diplomatic channels remained open. Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said negotiations were progressing behind the scenes, contrary to what he described as exaggerated media narratives.
Trump also confirmed that dialogue was ongoing but maintained that all options remained on the table.
The US president has repeatedly stated that he believes Iran would choose negotiation over confrontation on its nuclear and missile programmes, while Tehran has said it is open to talks provided its missile and defence capabilities are excluded from discussions.
About Author
