Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has issued a stark warning to the United States, stating that any attack on his country would lead to a "regional war". The 86-year-old leader made the comments at an event in Tehran on Sunday, as thousands of supporters gathered to mark the anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's return from exile.
Khamenei, who has held absolute power for 37 years, accused the US of wanting to "devour" Iran and its vast oil and natural gas resources. He claimed that recent anti-government protests were similar to a coup, with protesters storming government offices, banks, and mosques, and burning copies of the Quran.
The protests began in December after shopkeepers in Tehran's business district protested against Iran's rapid economic decline, but soon morphed into nationwide expressions of anger over curtailed personal and social freedoms, an acute energy and water crisis, and severe air pollution. Human rights groups and international observers say thousands were killed or injured during the unrest.
The US President Donald Trump responded to Khamenei's warning by saying he hoped Iran would agree to a deal, adding that "of course" the supreme leader would say such things. However, Trump seemed skeptical of Khamenei's claims, suggesting that if no deal is reached, it will be clear whether he was right or not.
Iranian authorities claim that the protests were sparked by US-backed terrorists and that many of those killed were security forces. But human rights groups and activists say this is a cover-up for the government's own role in the violence.
In an apparent bid to calm tensions within Iranian society, the government sent a text message to citizens on Sunday announcing that women will soon be allowed to ride motorcycles, a move they claim will help "wash away fake claims and figures" surrounding the number of protesters killed.
However, many Iranians are still in mourning for the loss of life during the protests. One woman told Al Jazeera that the government's attempts to downplay the extent of the violence were only making things worse, saying "they are throwing more salt on our wounds".
Khamenei, who has held absolute power for 37 years, accused the US of wanting to "devour" Iran and its vast oil and natural gas resources. He claimed that recent anti-government protests were similar to a coup, with protesters storming government offices, banks, and mosques, and burning copies of the Quran.
The protests began in December after shopkeepers in Tehran's business district protested against Iran's rapid economic decline, but soon morphed into nationwide expressions of anger over curtailed personal and social freedoms, an acute energy and water crisis, and severe air pollution. Human rights groups and international observers say thousands were killed or injured during the unrest.
The US President Donald Trump responded to Khamenei's warning by saying he hoped Iran would agree to a deal, adding that "of course" the supreme leader would say such things. However, Trump seemed skeptical of Khamenei's claims, suggesting that if no deal is reached, it will be clear whether he was right or not.
Iranian authorities claim that the protests were sparked by US-backed terrorists and that many of those killed were security forces. But human rights groups and activists say this is a cover-up for the government's own role in the violence.
In an apparent bid to calm tensions within Iranian society, the government sent a text message to citizens on Sunday announcing that women will soon be allowed to ride motorcycles, a move they claim will help "wash away fake claims and figures" surrounding the number of protesters killed.
However, many Iranians are still in mourning for the loss of life during the protests. One woman told Al Jazeera that the government's attempts to downplay the extent of the violence were only making things worse, saying "they are throwing more salt on our wounds".
Iran is really heating up right now with all these protests and stuff... I'm kinda surprised they're trying to calm things down by announcing women can ride motorcycles soon? Like, it's a small gesture, but could help shift the focus away from the bigger issues at hand. And Trump saying Khamenei would say such things just seems kinda dismissive, you know? Interesting 
I'm telling you, something fishy is going on in Iran 
. Khamenei's warning to the US sounds like a classic example of "blame the other guy" 
. First, they say it's all about the US wanting to devour their oil and gas resources 
, but now they're saying it was a coup?! 
. I'm not buying it.
It's like they're trying to distract us from the real issues at hand. But we know the truth, right? 
The whole situation in Iran is just a cover-up for their own mistakes. I'm not saying the US isn't involved somehow, but come on, let's keep an open mind here 
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. There are always two sides to every story, and in this case, both sides seem suspiciously convenient 
. Stay vigilant, folks! 
. The US is just trying to make some noise, but honestly, Khamenei's just stirring up drama like it's his job (spoiler alert: it kinda is) 
. And those protesters? Just normal folks wanting some basic freedoms and stuff... You know, the usual 
. I'm not buying the "US-backed terrorists" excuse either, sounds like a classic government PR stunt to me 
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they use clay pots and channels to collect water from roofs and store it for irrigation... like totally eco-friendly! i wonder if we could adapt that technology here in the west 
anyway, back to iran... what's up with all this motorcycle stuff? i mean, is it really going to make a difference or are they just trying to distract us from the real issues 
This whole situation is giving me Major Motion Picture vibes, you know? Like, a epic conflict brewing between two super powerful forces. I'm getting flashes of "Gladiator" or "300" - all out war, no holds barred. 
But what's crazy is how Iran's leadership is trying to spin the narrative, making it seem like they're being victimized by the US. Meanwhile, we know what's really going down - human rights abuses and a cover-up of epic proportions. 
I'm not sure if Khamenei's threats are going to be enough to deter Trump from taking action, but one thing is for sure, the world is watching this situation unfold with bated breath. 
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I just don't get why Iran is having all this drama? Like, Khamenei says any attack on his country will lead to a regional war 
, but at the same time it feels like a pretty weak attempt to distract from all the other stuff. I mean, they're still not addressing the root causes of the protests or even admitting that their own actions might've contributed to some of the violence. It's just a bunch of spin to me