Iran warns of regional conflict in case of US attack, EU armies declared 'terrorists'

(Patria) - Iran's leadership on Sunday warned of a regional conflict if the United States attacked them, and in retaliation designated the armies of the European Union as "terrorist groups".

The United States has increased its naval presence in the Middle East after President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with intervention if it did not agree to the nuclear deal or stop killing protesters, Reuters reported.

Despite the stalemate between Iran and the Trump administration, both sides have signaled their readiness to continue talks, and regional allies such as Turkey are seeking de-escalation.
An Iranian official denied an earlier report by state television Press TV that the Revolutionary Guard's naval forces would conduct live ammunition exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and Monday, telling Reuters they had no such plan and that media reports were incorrect.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, quoted in state media, said that while Trump claims to have sent ships to the region, "the Iranian nation will not be afraid of these things, the Iranian nation will not be disturbed by these threats".

"We are not the initiators and we do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow to anyone who attacks and disturbs them," he said.

The US Navy currently has six destroyers, one aircraft carrier, and three littoral combat ships in the region, increasing the risk of war following Iran's deadly crackdown in January on national protests against the Iranian leadership.

Trump has been considering options against Iran that include targeted attacks on security forces, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources.

On Saturday, Trump told reporters that Iran was "talking seriously" with Washington, hours after a senior Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, said on social media platform X that arrangements were being made for negotiations.

Trump also said: "I hope they negotiate something acceptable. You could reach a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory without nuclear weapons."

Iran claims it is ready for "fair" negotiations that do not seek to limit its defensive capabilities.

The protests, which began due to economic hardship but evolved into the most acute political challenge to the Islamic Republic since its founding in 1979, have now subsided after a crackdown.

Official figures show the death toll in the unrest rose to 3,117, while the US human rights group HRANA said on Sunday it had confirmed the deaths of 6,713 people so far. Reuters was unable to independently confirm these figures.

In a symbolic move in response to the crackdown on protests, the European Union designated the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as a terrorist organization on Thursday.

In retaliation on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that the armies of the European Union would also be designated as such and that authorities would consider expelling military attachés from European Union countries.

"By trying to hit the Revolutionary Guard... the Europeans have actually shot themselves in the foot," the speaker told fellow lawmakers, all of whom wore IRGC uniforms in support of the elite force.

After his speech, lawmakers chanted "Death to America, shame on you, Europe".