Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting with the Iranian people, in Tehran on February 1, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday (February 1, 2026) warned that any U.S. strike on the country would become a regional war even as Tehran and Washington confirmed that talks are progressing between the two sides amid regional efforts to de-escalate tensions.
“The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” said Mr. Khamenei while addressing a gathering at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Hussainiya, which is part of the Office of the Supreme Leader. “We are not the initiators of war. We do not seek to oppress anyone. We do not seek to attack any country. However, anyone who seeks to attack or cause harm will face a decisive blow from the Iranian nation,” said Mr. Khamenei.
His comments, which were also posted on social media, came at a time when the U.S. has sent warships, fighter jets and an aircraft carrier to West Asia’s waters amid threats of a strike on Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that “time was running our for Iran” to make a deal over its nuclear programme, adding that “a massive armada” was heading towards Iran and that it was “ready to use violence” if necessary.
Mr. Khamenei appeared to play down Mr. Trump’s threats and U.S. troops mobilisation near Iran’s shores. “That Americans sometimes talk about war – saying we will come with warships and aircraft – is nothing new. The Iranian nation is not affected by such talks. They shouldn’t try to intimidate the Iranian nation with such things,” he added.
Iranian officials in recent days had warned that any U.S. attack on Iran would not be a limited war. But at the same time, Tehran has also signalled that it was still open for diplomacy. Earlier on Sunday (February 1, 2026), Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said talks were progressing between the two sides. “Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” Mr. Larijani, an influential figure in Tehran who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on January 30, wrote on social media.
U.S. President Trump also confirmed that talks were on. “They are talking to us. Seriously talking to us,” Mr. Trump told reporters in Washington on Sunday.
Regional countries Oman, Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia were pushing for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Turkey has stated that it would not support any military action against Iran. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two American allies in the Persian Gulf, have ruled out letting their air space be used for a strike against Iran. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Mr. Larijani in Tehran on Saturday (January 31, 2026) to discuss “efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region”.
The Prime Minister reiterated Qatar’s “support for all efforts aimed at reducing tensions and achieving peaceful solutions that enhance security and stability in the region”, the Ministry said.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was in Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on January 29, said Iran was open for a “fair and equitable” nuclear deal.
“Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and is ready to embrace a fair and equitable nuclear deal that meets the legitimate interests of our people; this includes ensuring ‘No Nuclear Weapons’ and guaranteeing the lifting of sanctions,” Mr. Araghchi wrote in social media after meeting Mr. Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. “Iran always stands ready to engage with regional states to protect peace and stability in our region and shield it from unlawful aggression,” he added.
Published – February 01, 2026 04:38 pm IST
