Trump unfazed by Khamenei’s regional war threat, says he hopes to strike a deal with Iran

MAR-A-LAGO, FLORIDA: Donald Trump on Sunday downplayed a sharp warning from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about the risk of a regional war, saying he remains hopeful that both nations can reach a negotiated agreement despite rising tensions.

Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said he was unsurprised by Khamenei’s remarks and described such rhetoric as typical amid heightened political and military pressure.

Trump signals diplomacy even as pressure mounts

Trump’s remarks came just hours after Khamenei warned that any US military action against Iran would ignite a wider regional conflict.

“Why wouldn’t he say that? Of course he is going to say that,” Trump said, responding to Khamenei’s comments.

The president added that diplomacy had not been ruled out. “Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right,” Trump said.

The exchange reflects the increasingly volatile moment in US-Iran relations, as both sides mix threats with tentative signals of dialogue.

The president has repeatedly stressed that his administration’s goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while maintaining that economic and military pressure are necessary to force Tehran to the negotiating table.

On Saturday, Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington.

“I hope they negotiate something acceptable,” Trump said on Sunday. “You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons.”

Khamenei warns US action would spark wider conflict

Khamenei, speaking earlier Sunday, struck a defiant tone as he addressed domestic unrest and US military movements in the region.

He warned that Iran would respond forcefully to any attack and rejected what he described as intimidation tactics.

“We are not the initiators and do not want to attack any country,” Khamenei said. “But if aggression occurs, the response will be strong.”

The Iranian leader characterized recent protests inside Iran as a foreign-backed effort to destabilize the country, accusing the United States and Israel of orchestrating what he called a “coup.”

Khamenei also insisted that the Iranian population would not be deterred by external threats, despite the growing military presence of the United States in the Middle East.