United States President, Donald Trump, expressed optimism on Sunday about reaching an agreement with Iran, following a stark warning from the country’s supreme leader that any American attack could ignite a regional conflict.
The tensions come after Iran’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests last month, which prompted Trump to threaten military action and dispatch an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
Addressing the unrest, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday described the demonstrations as a “coup,” cautioning that a US attack would spark a broader confrontation.
He reassured Iranians, saying they “should not be scared” of Trump’s threats.
“They (rioters) attacked the police, government centres, IRGC centres, banks, and mosques, and burned the Koran… It was like a coup,” Khamenei said, adding, “the coup was suppressed.”
Responding to the warning, Trump told reporters: “Of course he is going to say that. Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right.”
The protests in Iran initially emerged over high living costs but quickly escalated into a nationwide anti-government movement.
Iranian leaders have consistently labelled the unrest as “riots” allegedly fueled by the United States and Israel.
In a recent development, Iranian authorities released 26-year-old protester Erfan Soltani on bail, according to his lawyer.
Washington had expressed concern that he faced the death penalty and warned of potential military action if any anti-government demonstrators were executed.
Soltani was arrested in January on charges of propaganda against Iran’s Islamic system and acting against national security.
Tehran clarified he had not been sentenced to death, noting that his charges did not carry the death penalty.
As tensions simmer, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged concerns over “miscalculations” but suggested Trump was “wise enough to make the correct decision.”
He added that Iran has lost trust in the US as a negotiating partner but noted intermediaries in the region are helping rebuild dialogue.
“So I see the possibility of another talk if the US negotiation team follows what President Trump said: to come to a fair and equitable deal to ensure that there is no nuclear weapons,” Araghchi told CNN.
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– ‘Terrorist’ designations –
Iranian authorities have confirmed thousands of deaths during the protests. On Sunday, the presidency released a list of 2,986 names out of 3,117 people killed in the unrest, with 131 victims yet to be identified.
Authorities insist that most were security personnel or innocent bystanders, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts.”
In contrast, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 6,842 deaths, primarily among protesters.
In response to the unrest, the European Union designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. Iranian lawmakers retaliated by imposing the same designation on European armies, wearing green IRGC uniforms in a show of solidarity and chanting, “Death to America,” “Death to Israel” and “Shame on you, Europe,” according to state television.
The immediate impact of this move remains unclear, though similar classifications exist in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
– Threats and dialogue –
Firouzeh, a 43-year-old homemaker who declined to give her full name, described feeling “very worried and scared” amid the rising tensions. “Lately, all I do is watch the news until I fall asleep. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to check the updates,” she said.
IRGC official Ahmad Vahidi told Mehr news agency that “enemies” were attempting to create a “war atmosphere.” Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on Saturday: “Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing.”
Trump confirmed that talks were ongoing but did not retract his previous threats, saying, “we’ll see what happens.” He has previously indicated that he believes Iran would prefer a deal over facing military action.
Tehran has reiterated its readiness for nuclear discussions, provided that its missile and defence programmes are excluded from the agenda.
