FILE- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking during a meeting with Iranian government officials in Tehran. AFP
"The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," Khamenei said in a speech marking the 47th anniversary of the return from exile of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Iranian state television reported Khamenei's comments online before broadcasting footage of his remarks.
“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,” Khamenei was quoted as saying.
Iran's supreme leader also described the recent anti-government protests that saw killings and vandalism as akin to "a coup."
“The recent sedition was similar to a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed," he said.
"Their goal was to destroy sensitive and effective centres involved in running the country, and for this reason they attacked the police, government centres, (Revolutionary Guard) facilities, banks and mosques — and burned copies of the Quran. They targeted centres that run the country,” he added.
The comments from the 86-year-old Khamenei are his most direct threat so far, coming as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying US warships remain in the Arabian Sea. They were deployed by US President Donald Trump following Tehran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests.
Iran had also planned a live-fire military drill for Sunday and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of global oil trade passes. The US Central Command warned against threatening American ships or aircraft during the drill or disrupting commercial traffic.
It remains unclear whether Trump will use force. He has repeatedly said Iran is open to negotiation and has raised Tehran's nuclear programme as another issue he wants resolved.
Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have raised fears of a potential military confrontation, after Washington expanded its naval and air deployments across the region.
The US describes the build-up as a deterrent step, while governments across the Middle East warn that any strike could rapidly widen the crisis and threaten regional stability. Tehran has repeatedly warned that even a limited attack would prompt a broad response, as Iranian forces conducted live-fire drills near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive shipping routes.
Inside Iran, the latest wave of unrest has produced widely differing casualty figures from state authorities, opposition groups, and international organizations. With periodic internet shutdowns and restricted access to several provinces, independent verification remains impossible, prompting regional outlets to rely on reported ranges pending on-the-ground confirmation.
Diplomatic efforts have accelerated across the Middle East to prevent a slide toward open conflict. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have intensified contacts with Washington and Tehran, stressing the need to avoid escalation and preserve the security of regional states.
Cairo has reiterated that there is no military solution to the crisis, while Gulf capitals remain concerned about possible retaliation, energy-sector disruption, and population displacement should a confrontation unfold.
The situation has revived comparisons with previous regional conflicts in which external intervention triggered prolonged instability.
Analysts warn that any major strike risks drawing multiple countries into a wider confrontation, undermining global energy markets, and destabilizing maritime routes around the Gulf.
As both Washington and Tehran weigh their next steps, regional governments continue to press for de-escalation and renewed channels of communication to avert a broader conflict.
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