Khamenei Warns of US Ambitions in Iran Amid Trump’s Mixed Signals
“Iran possesses numerous attractions: its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are attractive. The US wants to seize control of this country just as they controlled it before,” Khamenei said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the United States of seeking to dominate Iran, citing the country’s natural resources and strategic location, in a statement posted on social media platform X.
“Iran possesses numerous attractions: its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are attractive. The US wants to seize control of this country just as they controlled it before,” Khamenei said.
His remarks came amid renewed rhetoric from Washington regarding Tehran. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his administration remains in contact with Iran but warned of possible escalation if talks fail.
“The plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something. Otherwise, we’ll see what happens,” Trump told Fox News. He added that a “big fleet” was heading to the region, while noting that negotiations were ongoing.
The exchange underscores continued tensions between Tehran and Washington as both sides signal contrasting approaches to diplomacy and regional security.
Iran possesses numerous attractions: Its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are attractive. The US wants to seize control of this country just as they controlled it before.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) February 1, 2026