Fresh statements from Washington and Tehran point to deeper confrontation, even as indirect messaging, shipping fears and regional diplomacy keep the possibility of a wider crisis alive.
A still from a video posted by Donald Trump on Truth Social shows a massive explosion, reportedly linked to strikes in Iran, though details remain unconfirmed. | Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump
With the US-Iran-Israel conflict entering its second month on April 2, both Washington and Tehran have raised the temperature again – President Donald Trump with a new threat of deeper strikes, and Iran with a mix of public defiance, diplomatic signalling and symbolic calls for national resolve.
In separate messages on Wednesday (local time), Trump warned that Iran could be pushed “back to the Stone Age” if no deal is reached, while Iran’s leadership said the country was ready for any form of attack and continued to reject the idea that pressure would force surrender.
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Even as the rhetoric sharpened, Tehran also tried to shape a broader political message. Iran’s president said the Iranian people hold no hostility towards Americans, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged citizens to plant saplings in memory of those killed in the war and as a sign of hope, recovery and resistance.
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