tehran, iran
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Here on Tuesday, life seemed to be returning in earnest in the capital, just weeks after thousands of Iranians were killed in a brutal crackdown on dissent. But the atmosphere of normalcy masks a disturbing truth: Many here feel caught between the Iranian government’s rhetoric and US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action.
President Trump has warned that an “armada” is headed toward Iran. “We have a lot of ships heading in that direction just in case. It’s better if nothing happens, but we’re keeping a close eye on it.”
The first of these ships, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a group of guided missile destroyers, arrived within range.
In response, the Iranian government unfurled a four-story poster in the capital’s Enherab Square (Revolutionary Square) threatening to destroy an American aircraft carrier.
“If you sow a wind, you will reap a whirlwind,” the article warns in English and Farsi, using images of bodies strewn across the deck of an aircraft carrier and blood stains on the water behind it, similar to the stripes of the American flag.
A few blocks away, another government poster depicts a captured U.S. Navy boat in 2016 with its crew of U.S. Marines kneeling behind their heads in surrender.
CNN saw both posters this week during a government-sanctioned visit to Tehran, which offered a glimpse into life in a city that was disrupted by bloody clashes just days earlier.
On the streets, Iranians are unsure which side poses the greater threat. “I don’t know what to say. I think they are all collaborating with each other against the interests of the Iranian people. Nothing good will happen for us,” Marsan, a young Tehran, told CNN.
Mehdi Akbari, another Tehran resident, said: “I don’t think President Trump would dare to (attack). He’s more blunt.”
President Trump has repeatedly said that he is considering several options, including attacking Iran, but has also said that Tehran “is willing to talk,” suggesting the United States may enter into talks with Tehran.
“As they say, we’re open for business, so if they want to contact us and they know the terms, we’re open to discussions,” a White House official said Monday.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps has warned that his force is ready to respond “more trigger-happy than ever before.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghai told reporters on Monday that Iran is “more than capable” to respond with “regret” to any aggression from the United States.
“The arrival of one or a few warships will not affect Iran’s defense resolve,” he said. “Our military is monitoring every development and is not wasting a second to improve its capabilities.”
Iran warned that a U.S. attack would lead to attacks on U.S. allies in the region. Regional officials told CNN this month that U.S. Arab allies in the Persian Gulf are lobbying President Trump to oppose the attack.
The Iranian military said its missile capabilities and efficiency have improved significantly since the 12-day war with Israel in June. During that conflict, Iran conducted multiple missile and drone strikes against Israeli targets.
For Iranians on the ground, the back-and-forth between President Trump and the government in Tehran is prolonging a “difficult” and “harrowing” period, with many mourning the thousands of people who died in a brutal crackdown on protesters that began late last year amid economic hardship.
Since then, the economic situation has only worsened, and the currency, the rial, has fallen to an all-time low. It fell to 1.5 million rials to the dollar on Tuesday, according to several Iranian currency tracking websites.
The true scale of the challenge facing Iran is only now becoming clear as the internet blackout begins to end.
“I had to leave my house for shopping and daily life, but the situation was really bad,” Arsham, one of the young people, told CNN about life during the protests. “Now that the internet connection has been restored, we realize for the first time that so many people have been killed.”
