Leader warns US: War to be regional in case of aggression

TABNAK, Feb. 01 - "The US should know that if it starts a new war, this time it will be a regional war," Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says.

News ID: 7136

Date: 01 February 2026 - 16:05

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday morning received a group of people from different walks of life at Imam Khomeini Hussainiya on the first day of the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations.

During the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei addressed the recent developments, saying that the Americans should beware that a regional war would break out if Washington starts another war.

"It's nothing new that they sometimes talk about war and about planes and ships and all that. In the past, the Americans have repeatedly threatened and said that all options are on the table, including the option of war," the Leader underlined, adding that the Iranian people will not be influenced by these threats.

The Islamic Republic of Iran will not initiate any attack on any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow against anyone who attacks it, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that the issue of the confrontation between America and Iran can be summed up in two sentences: America wants to devour Iran, and the wise nation of Iran and the Islamic Republic are an obstacle.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution identified the core reason behind the 47-year confrontation between Iran and the United States as Washington’s ambition to dominate Iran and the Iranian nation’s resistance to that ambition.

"For more than thirty years, the Americans were in Iran. They had the resources, they had the oil, they had the politics, they had the security, they had the connections with the world, they had everything. They did whatever they wanted.  Now they want to go back to the same situation as the Pahlavi era. The Iranian nation is standing firm against them."

Recalling the historic massive public welcoming of Imam Khomeini upon his return to Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said the founder of the Islamic Republic entered Tehran with courage despite threats and immediately announced the end of the monarchy, turning popular support into the foundation of a new political system.

He highlighted two defining characteristics of the Islamic Republic: replacing autocratic rule with popular governance and reversing the anti-religious trajectory of the former regime in favor of an Islamic process. He noted that while shortcomings exist, the country has made overall progress in strengthening its religious and Islamic framework.

Ayatollah Khamenei said restoring the country to its rightful owners—the people—and cutting off US influence in Iran deeply unsettled Washington and marked the beginning of its hostility toward the Iranian nation.

He emphasized that Imam Khomeini revived national self-confidence, replacing the mentality of “we cannot” with “we can,” and reversed decades of humiliation and dependency experienced under previous dynasties.

Referring to Iran’s scientific and technological achievements, the Leader said such progress was once unimaginable and resulted from renewed self-belief and hope instilled in the nation.

He rejected claims that Iranian youth lack hope or a future, stating that young Iranians possess both determination and optimism and will shape the country’s future.

In another part of his speech, he described the recent unrest as US- and Israeli-driven, saying it consisted of both trained ringleaders—some of whom have confessed to receiving funding and instructions—and emotionally driven youths.

He said statements by the US president openly encouraging unrest were clear evidence of foreign involvement, noting that millions who rallied nationwide were the true representatives of the Iranian people.

The Leader stressed that hostility toward Iran will continue as long as the Islamic Republic’s independent path conflicts with the interests of global powers, adding that similar incidents may recur in the future.

He said that while security forces fulfilled their duties, it was the people’s presence that ultimately put an end to the unrest, as seen in past events.

The Leader emphasized that the primary goal of the unrest was to undermine national security, stressing that without security, no economic, scientific, or social progress is possible.

He concluded by reiterating that the root cause of U.S. hostility lies in its desire to dominate Iran and its resources, dismissing other claims such as human rights as pretexts.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran will not initiate aggression but warned that any act of hostility would be met with a firm response, adding that any future war would inevitably become regional in scale.