Khamenei warns of regional war as Trump says 'big ships' head toward Iran
Summary
Iran’s Supreme Leader said if the US launches a war, it would not stay confined to Iran and would likely escalate into a broader regional conflict.
Persian Gulf states have cautioned Iran that they may step in if they are hit amid any escalation between Tehran and Washington, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported.
Trump said Iran is negotiating with the US and a deadline has been conveyed, while Iranian leaders insist talks cannot be forced through threats and warn of a decisive response to any attack.
After the EU designated the IRGC a terrorist organization, Iran’s parliament said it would treat EU armies as “terrorist groups” and considered expelling European military attaches.
Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani contacted Persian Gulf states and warned Tehran could target US embassies there if Washington strikes, as Qatar pushed de-escalation and Saudi rejected use of its airspace for attacks.
Authorities expanded security deployments across major cities, arrested activists, and issued harsh legal threats, including possible moharebeh charges carrying the death penalty.
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Iran denies reports of IRGC military exercise in Strait of Hormuz - Reuters
An Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that media reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plans to hold a military exercise in the Strait of Hormuz are incorrect.
Iran's state-run Press TV reported on Thursday that the force would carry out drills in the strategic waterway on February 1 and February 2.
"There was no plan for the Guards to hold military exercises there and there was no official announcement about it. Only media reports which were wrong," the official said.
Iran lawmakers don IRGC uniforms after EU terrorist designation
Iran prosecutor says police contained unrest without weapons
Iran’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi praised police forces for what he called their role in containing recent unrest, saying officers acted “empty-handed” because they were not permitted to use weapons.
Speaking at a police gathering, Movahedi said security forces had brought the situation under control despite casualties among officers, and stressed close coordination between police and the judiciary.
More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International.
US must strengthen air defenses in Mideast before any Iran strike - WSJ
The United States needs to reinforce air defenses across the Middle East before launching any potential strike on Iran, as Washington prepares for possible retaliation by Tehran, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The report quoted US officials as saying that airstrikes on Iran are not imminent, as the Pentagon is still deploying additional air defense systems.
According to the report, the Pentagon is taking steps to better protect Israel, Arab allies, and US forces in the region, amid growing concern that Iran could respond with missile and drone attacks.
The Journal said US military planners view expanded air and missile defense coverage as critical to limiting damage and escalation if Iran retaliates against American or allied targets.
US officials told the Journal that while limited airstrikes on Iran could be carried out quickly, a larger operation would likely prompt a proportional response from Tehran, making robust air defenses essential.
The US already has naval destroyers capable of intercepting aerial threats in the region and has increased their presence.
The buildup comes as President Donald Trump has sent what he described as an “armada” to the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group and F-35 fighter jets, while stopping short of saying whether he intends to use force.
Iran lawmaker says succession plans in place if commanders are killed
Iran is not a country that can be brought down by the loss of a few commanders or a handful of military strikes, and replacements are ready, parliamentary deputy speaker Hamidreza Hajibabaei said on Saturday.
Hajibabaei said there is strong unity between parliament, the government and the armed forces, while stressing that criticism and differences are handled in expert meetings without allowing adversaries to exploit them.
He said Iran’s main economic problem is not a lack of resources but weaknesses in management and policymaking, adding that next year’s budget plans include wage rises, higher tax exemptions and provisions for essential goods to ease living costs.
He also said the world is moving toward a multipolar order and argued that Iran’s main battle is now in news and online space, warning officials against rhetoric that fuels public fear, despair or division.
'All those killed in protests were enemies of God,' Tehran council head says
Tehran City Council head Mehdi Chamran said on Sunday that no protesters were killed in recent unrest and described those who died as “mohareb,” a term Iranian officials use for people they accuse of armed rebellion against God.
“In these protests we had no deaths, and only moharebs were present with guns and knives,” Chamran said.
More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International.
Moments from life and funeral of Iranian protester
Videos received by Iran International show moments of laughter and joy shared by Mozhgan Zeynali, a 38-year-old protester, with her children, as well as scenes from her funeral, following her killing during protests in Iran.
She was killed in protests on January 7 in the city of Fardis, west of Karaj in central Iran.
Iran says it will turn regional shipping routes unsafe after any strike
Iran warned on Sunday it could retaliate against any US strike on its vital infrastructure by disrupting key international waterways and targeting American forces across the region, according to remarks by a lawmaker carried by Iranian media.
“If Americans want to threaten our vital infrastructure like the energy sector or our export terminals, they themselves know that certainly the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab will be closed and the Suez Canal will definitely become insecure,” Salar Velayatmadar, a member of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, told Didban Iran.
Velayatmadar said Iran would not be forced to retreat from its positions by military threats. “Today our finger is on the trigger and if the enemy makes a mistake, it will see that the blow it receives will be much more severe than before,” he said.
He warned that US bases in countries around Iran would be targeted if Washington “puts a foot wrong,” saying the entire region would be drawn into the conflict.
Velayatmadar dismissed President Donald Trump’s recent statements about sending aircraft carriers and “very big, very powerful ships” toward Iran as bluster, arguing that moving warships closer to Iran indicated the United States did not intend to fight because such vessels would become clear targets.
Velayatmadar added that he saw no sign of war unless the United States committed what he called a “suicidal” act, warning that any attack would backfire and trigger global consequences given Iran’s control over strategic waterways.
Persian Gulf states warn Iran they may intervene if attacked in US standoff - Kan News
Persian Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia have warned Iran they could intervene if they come under heavy attack as part of a confrontation between Tehran and Washington, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported on Sunday.
According to the report, they have told Iran they do not want to be drawn into a US-Iran clash and have passed direct messages that they will not allow the United States to use their territory or airspace to launch an attack on Iran.
A source from the Saudi royal family was quoted as warning that if Iran or its allies carry out significant strikes on Persian Gulf countries or on US bases there, they would find it hard to remain silent, potentially leading to their involvement.
The source said they preferred pressure on Iran to remain economic rather than expand into broad military action, Kan reported.
Israel’s Kan public broadcaster said in a separate report on Sunday that Israel and the United States are operating in full coordination, and Israel expects to receive sufficient advance warning from Washington in the event of a US strike against the Islamic Republic.
According to the report, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held intensive discussions with senior US officials over the weekend amid US preparations for a possible attack on Iran.
Kan said the talks focused on operational coordination and readiness, as Washington steps up military deployments in the region and tensions with Tehran remain high.
Iran’s Guards reject EU designation, warn it will hinder cooperation
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reacted on Sunday to the European Union’s move to place it on the terrorist list, accusing the bloc of aligning with US policies and ignoring the destabilizing role of some regional actors.
The Guards said the EU approach amounts to “an obvious alignment with US interventionist policies,” according to the statement.
It added that the designation would not improve peace or regional security and would instead strengthen confrontation, making engagement and constructive cooperation more difficult.
