Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei Threatens to Sink US Warships During Geneva Nuclear Talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued sharp public warnings as indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington opened in Geneva.

Khamenei said even the "strongest military" can be struck and that a U.S. warship "could be sunk," remarks published while mediators sought a framework for broader negotiations.

Daily Express US

France 24 reported the talks produced "a set of guiding principles" under Omani mediation while Tehran and Washington traded military warnings.

Marketscreener quoted Khamenei saying "the strongest army in the world may sometimes get slapped," a phrasing that differs slightly from other reports.

Latin Times noted President Donald Trump told reporters he believes Iran wants a deal and does not want the consequences of failing to reach one.

The threats were accompanied by visible military manoeuvres and U.S. reinforcements in the region.

France 24 and Daily Mail reported Washington sent two aircraft carriers, including the USS Abraham Lincoln with nearly 80 aircraft reportedly within striking distance of Iran.

Daily Mail

Daily Express US said the USS Gerald Ford was being rerouted and extended its deployment.

Several outlets described Iranian naval drills in response.

New York Post and NT News reported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, briefly closing parts of the strait.

Daily Mail linked Tehran’s drills to Khamenei’s warning about sinking a U.S. warship.

The scope of the Geneva discussions — and what each side would accept — was a central point of disagreement reported across outlets.

“Geneva (AFP) –Iran and the United States agreed to "a set of guiding principles" laying the groundwork for a broader deal during talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Tehran's top diplomat said, after the leaders of both countries traded warnings of military action”

France 24

Washington, according to the Washington Examiner and Daily Mail, wants a wider agenda that includes ballistic missiles and regional activities.

Tehran, as Sahara Reporters and Daily Mail put it, insisted it would "discuss only nuclear curbs in return for sanctions relief" and rejected demands to abandon enrichment or negotiate missiles.

France 24 said the talks were "more constructive" than prior rounds and would move to drafting texts, while Washington officials acknowledged a deal would be difficult.

Some reports present domestic politics and human rights context as background that may influence Tehran’s posture.

New York Post and NT News link the threats and drills to a domestic crackdown.

Latin Times

New York Post states human rights groups say the crackdown "has killed at least 7,000 people."

NT News describes the measures as a response to "deadly crackdown on anti‑government protests sparked by economic hardship."

Other outlets, like Latin Times and Sahara Reporters, emphasise Khamenei’s framing of nuclear activity as peaceful and necessary for national development while rejecting Western demands on missiles.

These threads appear alongside U.S. signals of consequences if talks fail.

Several sources quote President Trump warning of "serious consequences" or unspecified "consequences."

Outlook from the snippets is mixed and cautious.

“Ali Khamenei was unnerved by the rapid build-up of American military forces in the Persian Gulf, sent by Donald Trump to pressure the Islamic Republic into a new nuclear deal”

lbc.co.uk

France 24 quotes Tehran’s foreign minister saying the Geneva round "will move to drafting texts".

lbc.co.uk

Oman said "good progress" was made but that "much work remains".

U.S. officials and several outlets warned a deal would be difficult.

Trump was reported to have hinted at "consequences" if no deal is reached and was described by marketscreener as referencing "47 years".

lbc.co.uk’s brief quoted line "It's going to be hard" reflects widespread expectations of a tough negotiation.

Altogether, reporting shows parallel tracks of cautious diplomacy and military signalling, with divergent emphases across outlets about whether diplomacy or pressure dominates the story.