Iran has unveiled a new mural in central Tehran warning the United States against launching a military strike, amid rising tensions and the movement of US naval forces to the region.
The mural, displayed in Enghelab Square, depicts damaged aircraft on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier and carries the slogan “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind,” written in both Farsi and English.
Its unveiling follows comments from a senior Iranian official, who said any US attack on Iran would be treated “as an all-out war against us.” The warning comes ahead of the arrival of a US aircraft carrier and other warships in the region.
Enghelab Square is frequently used for state-organised gatherings, and the large mural overlooking the square is regularly changed by authorities to reflect national events and political messaging.
US President Donald Trump has said the deployment of military assets is precautionary.
“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he said on Thursday, adding that the forces were being moved “just in case” he decides to take action.
Mr Trump has also urged Iranian protesters to continue demonstrating, promising that “help is on the way.” Thousands of protesters have been killed and tens of thousands arrested by Iranian security forces during recent unrest.
However, there have been no reports of further protests for several days. Mr Trump has claimed that Tehran halted the executions of around 800 detained protesters, a claim Iran’s top prosecutor described as “completely false.”
Despite the competing statements, the US president has indicated that military action remains an option, saying any strike would make last June’s US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts.”
The US military has periodically increased its presence in the Middle East during periods of heightened tension, moves often described as defensive. A significant build-up last year, however, preceded airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear programme.
