Iran's supreme leader warned a regional conflict could unfold if the United States attacks, as frantic diplomatic talks continue in the region to try to lower the temperature between Tehran and Washington, DC.
PresidentDonald Trumpbeen ratcheting up his threats against the Middle Eastern nation over the past several weeks, floating U.S. military action in response to Iran's violent crackdown on protesters last month. He has stopped short of intervening, but has since demanded Iran make several nuclear concessions anddeployed an increased U.S. military presencenear the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
"We are not the initiators and do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow against anyone who attacks and harasses them," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday, Feb. 1, according to state-run media.
The Iranian leader was quoted as saying that if the U.S. starts a war, "this time it will be a regional war."
Trump, Netanyahu meet at Mar-a-Lago to talk Iran, Gaza
Tensions have escalated between the two nations as Trump and Iranian leaders trade barbs, prompting diplomatic talks in the region involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other regional and Gulf nations. Trump appeared to pivot from threatening to use U.S. military might against the country over itscrackdown on anti-government protestorslate-January, afterhe said Tehran assured himit would halt protestor executions.
Human Rights Activists News Agency, a human rights group tracking the Iranian protest death toll, says it has verified over 6,800 deaths since protests began in December.
Then, on Jan. 28,Trump unleashed new threats, warning in a social media post that Iran will face an "armada" of U.S. warships if it doesn't make a deal on nuclear weapons. The U.S. Navy currently has six destroyers, one aircraft carrier and three littoral combat ships in the region, according toReuters.
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More:Trump threatens Iran with 'massive armada,' urging nuclear deal
In brief remarks to reporters outside Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, Feb. 1, Trump responded to the Iranian supreme leader's remarks. He referred to the naval buildup in the region, saying the U.S. has "the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there."
"Hopefully, we'll make a deal," Trump said. "If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right."
Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on social media on Jan. 31 that "structural arrangements" for negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were moving forward.
Last year, the U.S. struck several Iranian nuclear targets on the heels of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign against Iran. Since then, Tehran has said it has halted its uranium enrichment. Iran has long said its nuclear program is peaceful and has denied aiming to develop nuclear weapons. A Pentagon assessment found that the June strike set the program back a few months, according to a reportby USA TODAY.
Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal with Tehran during his first term in 2018, calling the 2015 deal"horrible, one-sided,"while arguing that it did not block Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
In the agreement, named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program and open its facilities to more international oversight, in exchange for sanctions relief. Former President Barack Obama's administration negotiated the deal, which was unpopular among many Republicans.
Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. Sign up for her daily politics newsletterhere.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Iran warns of war amid Trump nuclear deal threats
