Iran's Khamenei likens protests to 'coup', warns of regional warListen to this articleA mural depicting the Statue of Liberty with its torch-bearing arm broken, on the wall of the former US embassy in Tehran. afpTEHRAN - Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic republic following Washington's military deployments in the Middle East would trigger a regional war. The law was first passed in 2019, when the United States classified the Guards as a terrorist organisation. The Guards are the ideological arm of Iran's military, tasked with safeguarding the Islamic revolution from external and internal threats. The step matched similar classifications enacted by the United States, Canada and Australia.

Source: Bangkok Post February 01, 2026 14:20 UTC