A large billboard in a prominent square depicting a US aircraft carrier with destroyed fighter jets on deck and streams of blood has been unveiled in the capital Tehran. A caption on the painting in both Farsi and English reads: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.” Enghelab Square is used for gatherings called by the state and authorities change its mural based on national occasions. Tension between the US and Iran has spiked after a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that saw thousands of people killed and tens of thousands arrested. President Trump has threatened military action since.
Vehicles drive past an anti-US mural in Enqelab Square in Tehran [Atta Kenare/AFP]
UAE rejects use of its territory for any attack on Iran
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key US regional ally, says it won’t permit its land, airspace, or waters to be used for an attack on Iran. The Foreign Ministry released a statement saying it also won’t provide any logistical support for such a military operation. The UAE has complex ties with Iran, enjoying strong trade relations with its isolated neighbour, but being positioned regionally against Tehran. In 2020, Israel and the Emirates reached an agreement – brokered by the United States – to work towards a “full normalisation of relations”.
IRGC says it’s surveilling US-Israel actions closely
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it is “closely monitoring” Israeli and US actions in the region as concerns grow over a possible strike on Iran. The US belief that an operation against Iran would be “rapid and clean” is based on an “incomplete understanding” of Tehran’s capabilities, Press TV reported, quoting an unnamed IRGC official. The IRGC commander warned last week his force is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger” as US warships steamed towards the region. General Mohammad Pakpour said the US and Israel should “avoid any miscalculation”.
US president says Iran wants a deal; ‘big armada’ in Middle East: Report
President Donald Trump says Iran is seeking negotiations with Washington as the US ramps up its military presence in the Middle East. In an interview with the Axios news outlet late on Monday, the US president said the situation with Iran is “in flux” after he ordered what he described as a “big armada” to the region, but added he believes Tehran genuinely wants to strike a deal. White House officials, quoted by Axios, said a military attack remains an option, adding Trump has not yet made a final decision. The president is expected to hold further consultations this week and review additional military options, it added. Earlier on Monday, the USS Abraham Lincoln entered the US Central Command’s “area of responsibility”, marking a significant escalation in the US military posture near Iran. Speaking about the deployment, Trump said: “We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela.” At the same time, Trump stressed diplomacy remains on the table. “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”