IRANIAN Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned today that any attack by the United States would spark a “regional war” in the Middle East, following US President Donald Trump’s threats to strike the country — ostensibly over its brutal crackdown on nationwide protests.

The comments from the 86-year-old ayatollah are the most direct warnings he’s given so far.

Though the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated US warships are in the Arabian Sea, it remained unclear today whether Washington will use force. Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran wants to negotiate and has brought up Tehran’s nuclear programme as another issue he wants to see resolved.

But Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent nationwide protests as “a coup,” hardening the government’s position as tens of thousands of people have reportedly been detained since the start of the demonstrations.

Sedition charges in Iran can carry the death penalty, which again renews concerns about Tehran carrying out mass executions for those arrested.

Iran also announced a live-fire military drill to take place today and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which passes a fifth of all the oil traded.

The US military’s Central Command has warned Iran that the exercise must not threaten its warships or aircraft or disrupting commercial traffic.