Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that if the US attacked Iran it would become a regional conflict, state media reported on Sunday, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. "According to Article 7 of the law on countermeasures against the designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation, the armies of European countries are considered terrorist groups." The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement on Sunday saying that the EU's decision complicated "the path to constructive interaction and cooperation" while strengthening "confrontational approaches". Set up after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect the Shi'ite clerical ruling system, the Revolutionary Guards wield great sway in the country, controlling swathes of the economy and armed forces. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that if the US attacked Iran it would become a regional conflict, state media reported.

Source: The Telegraph February 01, 2026 10:45 UTC