The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a statement that any aggressive action by the US will lead to conflict in the region. This warning came amid the deployment of an American aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, while Iran conducts military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, reports the BBC.
“Americans must understand: if they start military actions, it will not just be a local war,” Khamenei's words were quoted by the Tasnim agency.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran in light of its nuclear program and the brutal suppression of protests. Over the weekend, responding to reporters' questions during his trip to Florida, he noted that he could not disclose his plans regarding Iran, but expressed hope for the possibility of reaching an "acceptable" agreement between Washington and Tehran, adding that the US has "powerful ships" in the region.
As part of strengthening its presence in the region, the US has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which, according to US Central Command, is currently in the Arabian Sea.
“[Trump] constantly speaks about the presence of American ships... But the people of Iran will not be intimidated by such threats,” Khamenei said in his Sunday address.
This Sunday, Iran will begin two days of naval exercises with live fire in the Strait of Hormuz, which is a key route for energy resource supplies and an important shipping corridor.
About 20% of all global oil trade passes through this strait, which is about 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest point between Iran and Oman. Earlier, Iran had already threatened to close this strategic route in the event of an attack.
The US warned Iran against "unprofessional behavior" near American military forces, to which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that American military personnel are trying to dictate how the Iranian armed forces should conduct exercises on their own territory.
On Saturday, two explosions occurred in Iran: one in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, where one person was killed and 14 were injured; local authorities attributed this to a gas leak. The pro-government Tasnim agency denied rumors that the target of the explosion was the commander of the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In another incident in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, at least four people were killed in an explosion; authorities also point to a gas leak as the cause, according to the Iranian newspaper Tehran Times.
On Thursday, Trump stated that he set two conditions for Iran that must be met to prevent US military intervention: “First, no nuclear arsenals. Second, an end to violence against protesters.”
On Sunday, the administration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian released the names of 2,986 people who died during the protests. Official data reports 3,117 casualties, but the identities of 131 deceased have yet to be established or there are discrepancies in the documents. Authorities promise to provide an updated list after resolving these discrepancies.
Human rights organizations point to much higher death tolls. The American agency Human Rights Activists News Agency reported confirmation of over 6,300 deaths and is investigating another 17,000 cases. The organization Iran Human Rights, based in Norway, estimates that the number of victims could reach 25,000. According to the media platform Iran International, the highest estimated number of dead is 36,500.
In light of this data, Pezeshkian's administration emphasized that, unlike those who exploit human lives for their own interests, the Iranian government values each deceased individual.
“Every Iranian is like an entire Iran to us, and the president considers it his duty to protect their rights,” the administration's statement said.
Khamenei also accused protesters of attacking the police and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as various facilities such as banks and mosques. “The coup has been suppressed,” the supreme leader's words were quoted by the Tasnim agency.
Protest participants told the BBC that the actions of security forces were extremely brutal.
