Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has warned the US that any military strike against Iran would ignite a broader regional conflict. The stern message came as US President Donald Trump ramped up American military presence in the Middle East. Speaking to a crowd in downtown Tehran on the anniversary of the 1979 revolution, Khamenei accused the US of seeking to exploit Iran’s natural resources and blamed recent nationwide unrest on foreign-backed plots, likening the violence to a failed coup attempt.
Protests, which began over economic grievances, quickly expanded into calls for more freedoms and outcry over worsening living conditions. Reports on the protest death toll vary widely: the UN says fatalities may exceed 20,000, while Iranian authorities claim 3,117 deaths, blaming “terrorists” allegedly supported by the US and Israel. President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged to release the names of those killed.
In a bid to ease tensions, the government announced plans to permit women to ride motorcycles, a first in Iran. Meanwhile, hardline lawmakers in parliament donned military uniforms and chanted anti-American slogans, responding to the EU’s recent move to label Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group.
Military parades and public rallies have filled Tehran’s streets as the government seeks to display unity and strength, even as many Iranians mourn and express anger at official narratives. State media continues to broadcast programs condemning the protests, further deepening the divide within the country.
