After reports that the United States was considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to intensify attacks on Iran, an English daily from the Islamic Republic carried a strong warning for Washington.
The Tehran Times featured a photograph of US troops boarding a carrier with the headline: “Welcome to Hell”. The accompanying caption read: “US troops who step foot on Iranian soil will leave only in a coffin”.
War Of Words Amid Claims Of Talks
The warning comes even as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he is engaged in ongoing peace talks with Tehran to end the conflict. Iran has denied that any such talks have taken place.
On March 26, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Talks are ongoing” with Iran. In another statement, he said Iran had gifted him a “present” by allowing some Pakistani-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
He had earlier announced a pause on strikes targeting Iran’s energy sector, extending the deadline by 10 days to April 6 to allow room for negotiations beyond his previous Friday cutoff, Bloomberg reported.
Conflict Intensifies On The Ground
Despite these claims, hostilities in West Asia continue to escalate. Late on Saturday (March 28), the US Central Command released footage of airstrikes targeting Iranian naval vessels.
“For decades, Iranian naval vessels have threatened and harassed global shipping in regional waters, but those days are over,” the command said in a post on X.
Iran Claims US Casualties
Iran, however, claimed that US forces had suffered “heavy casualties” in strikes on two American military “hideouts” in Dubai, according to state-run Tasnim News Agency.
A spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya said more than 500 US personnel were present at the locations, around 400 at one site and 100 at the other. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly carried out precision missile and drone strikes after identifying the targets, inflicting significant casualties, the report said, according to ANI.
Regional Warning From Iranian President
Amid rising tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned neighbouring countries against allowing the US and Israel to use their territory for attacks on Iran.
“We have said many times that Iran does not carry out preemptive attacks, but we will respond strongly if our infrastructure or economic centres are targeted,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.
“Countries in the region must not allow our enemies to wage war from their soil if they seek stability and growth,” he added.
