Ali Akbar Velayati, a political adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday that U.S. actions could push the region toward fire [1].
The statement signals a significant escalation in rhetoric between Tehran and Washington, suggesting that diplomatic safeguards are failing and the risk of a broader regional conflict is increasing.
Velayati said the current volatility is driven by recent U.S. moves, including threats of further strikes and the verbal cancellation of a memorandum of understanding [1]. He said the responsibility for this verbal revocation of the memorandum rests with the U.S. president [2].
According to the adviser, these actions have destabilized the current security environment. He said, "U.S. movements will push the region toward fire" [2].
Velayati said the window for avoiding escalation is closing rapidly. In a separate remark, he said, "zero hour has arrived" [3].
These warnings come as tensions remain high across the Middle East. The adviser said the combined pressure of military threats and the abandonment of previous agreements creates a volatile atmosphere that could ignite a wider war [1].
Tehran has frequently accused the U.S. of initiating instability through sanctions and military presence. Velayati's comments on July 8 [1] emphasize a belief that the U.S. is now actively dismantling the frameworks that previously prevented direct confrontation.
“U.S. movements will push the region toward fire”
The warning from a top adviser to the Supreme Leader indicates that Iran views the current U.S. diplomatic and military posture as a breach of previous understandings. By citing a 'verbal cancellation' of a memorandum, Tehran is framing the U.S. as the aggressor and the party responsible for any ensuing instability, potentially justifying future Iranian countermeasures in the region.
