Trump's threat to Iran, this is the calm before the storm

US President Donald Trump has issued a new threat to Iran, sharing a post on Truth Social accompanied by an image that reads "calm before the storm" and depicts Iranian ships in the sea. Additionally, in an interview with French channel BFM, Trump stated that he has no idea whether Iran will make a deal or not. He further added, "It's better for them to do it so they don't have a very bad time." Trump warned Tehran in strong terms the previous day, emphasizing the "end of patience" in Washington and revealing a decisive US-Chinese consensus that rejects Tehran's acquisition of nuclear weapons and demands the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

On the other hand, an Israeli official confirmed to Channel 13 that preparations for renewed fighting against Iran have reached a peak in Israel, and the US presence in Israel is at an all-time high. The official added that if a military operation against Iran begins, the goal will be to weaken them and bring them back to the negotiating table... and if war resumes, Israel will target Iran's gas, electricity, oil infrastructure, and strategic facilities, among other remaining targets.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state television announced that European countries are negotiating with Tehran to ensure the safe passage of their ships through the strait. They added that after the passage of ships from East Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Pakistan, negotiations began with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' navy, although the names of the European countries involved in the talks were not specified.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command, "Centcom", announced that under the maritime blockade measures imposed on Iran, 78 commercial ships have been diverted. They stated that US forces stopped four ships to ensure compliance, while army helicopters continue to monitor commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz. This development comes amid an ongoing war that began on February 28, 2026, with US-Israeli attacks on Iran, to which Tehran responded with actions including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to most maritime traffic. As a result, supply chains were severely disrupted, and oil prices rose by nearly 3% to around $109 per barrel.

Trump stated, "We don't want them to have nuclear weapons, and we want the Strait to be open." He added that if no deal is made, his country will not hesitate to take additional actions, which implies a continuation of the existing combination of sanctions, maritime blockade, and military options. On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that Tehran has received messages from the US indicating that Washington is willing to continue talks and communication.

Tehran insists that it has no intention of building nuclear weapons and refuses to abandon its nuclear research or give up its enriched uranium reserves.