The unveiling of the mural followed a statement by a senior Iranian official that any attack would be considered “all-out war against Iran.” The message was sent shortly before the arrival of the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships in the region. Enghelab Square, where the mural is installed, is often used for state gatherings, and the authorities regularly change the murals according to national occasions.
US President Donald Trump said military assets were being moved to the region as a precautionary measure, stressing: “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and we may not have to use it.” He had previously called on Iranian protesters to continue their protests, promising them help, even though regime forces had previously killed thousands of protesters and arrested tens of thousands. Trump recently claimed that Tehran had halted the executions of around 800 arrested protesters, which Iran’s attorney general dismissed as a lie.
Still, the US leader stressed that all options were open, warning that any military action would make US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last summer “like peanuts”.
The U.S. military has occasionally sent additional forces to the Middle East during periods of heightened tension, often seen as a defensive move. A major buildup last year preceded airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
(Vijesti.ba)
