U.S.–Iran Military Tensions

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. strike would spark a "regional war," saying Iran would not start a conflict but would "deal a heavy blow" to any aggressor and accusing Washington of seeking to seize Iran's oil, gas and mineral resources; President Trump said he had not decided on strikes and urged Iran to negotiate. Khamenei also described nationwide protests as a "sedition" akin to a coup that targeted police, Revolutionary Guard facilities, banks, mosques and Qurans, while the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports 6,713 deaths and at least 49,500 detentions in the crackdown, compared with Iran's claim of 3,117 dead, many labeled "terrorists."