Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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Iranian authorities unveiled a provocative new mural in central Tehran on Sunday, sending a direct warning to the United States against any military action as US warships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, head toward the region, Azernews reports via Associated Press.

The mural, displayed in Enghelab Square, depicts a bird’s-eye view of an aircraft carrier with exploding fighter planes and bodies strewn across the flight deck. Blood trails from the deck into the surrounding water, forming a pattern reminiscent of the US flag’s stripes. A slogan in one corner reads: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.”

The mural’s unveiling coincides with heightened tensions in the region. US President Donald Trump said the fleet’s deployment is “just in case” military action becomes necessary, adding: “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it.”

Enghelab Square, a central hub for state-organized gatherings, often features murals reflecting national events or political messages. The display comes a day after the commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned that his forces are “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” signaling Iran’s readiness to respond to any potential US military moves.

The striking imagery of the mural underscores the intensifying rhetoric between Tehran and Washington, as both sides maintain a show of force amid rising regional tensions.

Tension between the US and Iran have spiked in the wake of a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests that saw thousands of people killed and tens of thousands arrested. Trump had threatened military action if Iran continued to kill peaceful protesters or carried out mass executions of those detained.

There have been no further protests for days and Trump claimed recently that Tehran had halted the planned execution of about 800 arrested protesters – a claim Iran’s top prosecutor called “completely false”.

But Trump has indicated he is keeping his options open, saying on Thursday that any military action would make last June’s US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts”.

The US military said on social media that its air force F-15E Strike Eagle now has a presence in the Middle East, noting the fighter jet “enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability”.

Similarly, the UK Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that it deployed its Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar “in a defensive capacity”.

The protests in Iran began on 28 December sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. The death toll reported by activists has continued to rise since the end of the demonstrations, as information trickles out despite a more than two-week internet blackout – the most comprehensive in Iran’s history.