Update – US Central Command is WORRIED about IRANIAN NAVAL DRILLS (Video). Ayatollah: “Any US-initiated war against Iran would become regional”
by Carlo Dmenico Cristofori
Ayatollah Khamenei: Any US-initiated war against Iran would become regional
«Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned that any war initiated by the United States against Iran would turn into a regional war. Addressing a large gathering of people at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiya on Saturday, the Leader said recent US rhetoric about war and military assets was nothing new» Iranian Press TV has reported.
“The Americans should know that if they start a war this time, it will be a regional war,” he said, stressing that threats and displays of military power will not intimidate the Iranian nation.
“Sometimes they talk about war and speak of aircraft and warships; this is not a new thing,” he said, recalling that US officials had repeatedly threatened Iran in the past by claiming that “all options are on the table, including the option of war.”
Referring to US President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The Iranian nation should not be frightened by these things; the people of Iran are not affected by such threats.”
He emphasized that Iran would not be the initiator of any war, but warned of a firm response to aggression. “We are not the ones who start [a war], and we do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will deliver a hard punch to anyone who attacks and harasses it,” he said.
In another part of his speech, the Leader described the recent riots across Iran as “similar to a coup,” saying the plot aimed at destroying sensitive and effective centers involved in running the country.
He said attackers targeted police stations, government centers, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) facilities, banks, and mosques, and even set the Holy Quran on fire, noting that the attempt had ultimately been thwarted.
US could authorize strikes on Iran very soon
«This closely follows reports that senior US military officials have warned the leadership of a key Middle Eastern ally that US President Donald Trump could authorize military action against Iran very soon signaling how high tensions have climbed between Washington and Tehran» Lebanese TV Al Mayadeen has reported.
According to multiple sources cited by Drop Site News on December 31, the allies were told that if the US decides to proceed, strikes could begin at the start of February, as part of broader planning that would go beyond targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs to include strikes on military sites and efforts aimed at disrupting the IRGC and senior leadership.
US war planners reportedly believe that weakening Iran’s leadership could spark mass internal protests and potentially accelerate a change of government, a strategy said to be encouraged by Israeli officials who have assured Trump that they could support installing a new government aligned with Western interests.
This impending attack, however, faces a very worrying circumstance for the US Navy. In then next days a joint exercises between Iranian naval vessels, Russian vessels, and Chinese vessels will begin.
While this has increased concerns, the presence of the two nuclear powers could be the most effective deterrent to persuade Trump to postpone any direct action.
Precisely for this reason, the multiple explosions in Iran, caused by accidental or unknown causes, have taken on a highly suspicious connotation.
But before those joint exercises begin tomorrow, those of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that are increasing tension in the Persian Gulf.
Iran, China, and Russia to hold joint naval exercise
«Iran, Russia, and China are set to conduct a joint naval exercise in the northern Indian Ocean in late February, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington» Press TV pointed out.
The drill, named the “Maritime Security Belt” exercise, will involve units from the Iranian Navy, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, and naval forces from China and Russia. According to officials, the exercise aims to enhance maritime security and strengthen cooperation among the participating countries.
First launched in 2019 by the Iranian Navy, the Maritime Security Belt exercise has been conducted seven times, highlighting ongoing military coordination between Tehran, Beijing, and Moscow in regional and international waters.Previous editions of the drill featured operations such as search and rescue missions, maritime security maneuvers, and coordination exercises.
The US Central Command is worried about Iranian naval drills
The US military has issued a formal warning to Iran over its planned live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, while simultaneously conducting major “readiness exercises” of its own across the Middle East.
«In a statement released on Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) urged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy to conduct its two-day drill beginning Sunday“in a manner that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk.”» RT (Former Russia Today) wrote.
“We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions including overflight of US military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of US military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with US military vessels, or weapons trained at US forces,” the command stated.
The warning comes as the US itself is executing large-scale, multi-day military drills across the region. US Air Forces Central (AFCENT) announced the exercises this week, designed to practice the rapid deployment and sustainment of combat aircraft to various “contingency locations.”
Trump’s ‘armada’ issues warning to Tehran
The air drills complement the naval buildup that US President Donald Trump has publicly championed. “There’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now,” Trump said earlier this week, referencing a carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them,” Trump told reporters on Thursday, adding that he prefers to resolve the tensions diplomatically. He reiterated two core demands: “Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters.”
Iranian state media announced the exercises following Trump’s social media post warning that the “next attack will be far worse” than previous strikes, urging Iran to “MAKE A DEAL.”
Iran responded to the threats with defiance. Its UN mission posted a warning on social media stating that it stands “ready for dialogue,” but if pushed, it will “defend itself and respond like never before.”
A deputy foreign minister said the country is “200 percent ready” and would deliver an “appropriate response, not a proportionate one,” potentially targeting US bases.
The Strait of Hormuz, where Iran plans to conduct exercises, is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, with around 100 merchant vessels transiting daily. CENTCOM’s statement acknowledged Iran’s right to “operate professionally” in international airspace and waters.
‘Our hands are on the trigger’: Iranian army chief warns Israel, US against mischief
Iran’s top army commander says the country’s armed forces are fully prepared for any military confrontation, warning that any misstep by Israel or the US would endanger their own security and destabilize the region, according to Iranian Press TV
Speaking on Saturday at the “Young Soldier of the Armed Forces” ceremony, Major General Amir Hatami stressed Iran is operating at peak defensive readiness, with close coordination across all branches of the military.
“The enemies are fully under our surveillance, and since we are aware of their malicious intentions, our finger remains on the trigger,”General Hatami said, recalling what happened in Tel Aviv in the 12-days June’s Warfare vs Israel.
He went on to warn that “Should they make any mistake or miscalculation, without the slightest hesitation, they will certainly place their own security, their forces, the region, and the criminal Zionist regime in serious jeopardy.”
Series of Mysterious Blasts Rock Iran Amid Tensions with U.S. (Video)
A series of mysterious blasts rocked major cities across Iran on January 31, amid rising tensions with the United States and Israel.
Since the start of the month, U.S. President Trump has repeatedly threatened military action if Iran killed protesters or carried out mass executions of prisoners. Recent days saw the U.S. deploying additional military assets to the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group.
The most serious incident occurred in the province of Hormozgan, where an explosion hit an eight-story building in the port city of Bandar Abbas.
Following the blast, claims emerged that the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had been targeted. The guards, however, issued a statement rejecting these allegations, and saying that no commander was targeted and that the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak.
“This (gas leak and accumulation) is the preliminary assessment. My colleagues will give more details in the next few hours,” Mohammad Amin Liaqat, the fire department chief, confirmed from his side in a video published by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.
Iranian state media later reported that the powerful blast claimed the life of one person and left more than 14 others wounded.
Separately, four people were killed after another gas explosion in the city of Ahvaz in the Khuzestan province, according to state-run Tehran Times. No further information was immediately available.
An explosion was also reported in the capital, Tehran. State media did not release detailed information about casualties or damage in the incident.
Around the same time another explosion occurred in the center of Qom province. The city is known as the birthplace of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and a major center for training the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment. State media reported that the incident caused material damage, but no casualties.
IRGC denies assassination of Navy Commander Adm. Tangsiri, HQs attack
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Public Relations has firmly denied reports about the assassination of IRGC Navy commander Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri, slamming them as outright false.
«In a statement, the IRGC’s Public Relations asserted that “there is no truth to the rumors,” pointing to a familiar pattern of disinformation spread by the “Terror Alarm” account, which it described as an Israeli-linked platform acting as an “operational arm of Mossad psychological warfare.» Al Mayadeen has reported
The IRGC noted that the same account “had previously circulated false claims about the assassination of Brigadier General Esmail Qaani.”
The statement added that the timing of the rumors is significant, coming amid the “psychological operation fueled by US President Donald Trump’s recent mobilization of naval forces in the region.”
Iran says framework for talks with US taking shape
«Iran’s top security official says talks with the United States over the country’s nuclear program are taking shape despite heightened threats of military confrontation» has reported Press TV.
Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said in a post on his X account on Saturday that progress had been made toward establishing a framework for negotiations between Iran and the US.
“Despite the artificial media hype around war, a structural framework for #negotiations is currently moving ahead,” read a translation of the Farsi-language post.
The statement was issued amid escalating military tensions and speculation that the US could launch an unprovoked attack on Iran after moving additional military assets into regional waters. Iran has warned that even a single shot fired by the US would trigger a massive response, leading many to believe Washington may reconsider its preparations for conflict.
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