Tehran, Feb 02 (V7N) — Amid reports in Western media suggesting that he has gone into hiding, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared in public and issued a strong warning to the United States, saying that any attack on Iran would trigger a regional war.

British media outlet BBC News reported the development on Monday.

Referring to the deployment of US warships in the Middle East, Ayatollah Khamenei said,

“This gentleman (US President Trump) keeps claiming that they have brought warships. But the Iranian nation is not afraid of these things. They are not disturbed by these threats. They are not afraid of a just conflict.”

He added,

“We are not the initiators of conflict. However, if anyone attacks us, we will strike hard against them.”

Khamenei warned that any US military action against Iran would have serious consequences, emphasizing that such a move would not remain limited.

“The Americans should know—if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s National Security Advisor Ali Larijani said that talks are ongoing between Tehran and Washington to ease the current tensions between the two countries.

END/SMA/AJ