US President Donald Trump triggered fresh concerns over rising tensions with Iran after posting a cryptic message on social media that said, “It was the calm before the storm”, alongside an AI-generated image of himself aboard a military vessel in rough seas.
Shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform, the image showed Trump wearing a Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat beside a US Navy admiral, with warships and vessels carrying Iranian flags visible in the background.
The post surfaced amid reports suggesting the US could launch military strikes on Iran if ongoing negotiations fail to produce an outcome.
Trump recently warned Iran that it would face a “very bad time” if a peace agreement was not reached soon. “They have an interest in reaching an agreement,” Trump told French broadcaster BFMTV during a telephone interview.
Talks mediated by Pakistan, aimed at ending the conflict that began on February 28, concluded last month without any breakthrough, with both sides remaining at odds over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route that handles nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments.
Iran continues to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil passed before the conflict, while the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Pakistan said on Thursday that diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions were still underway, but declined to reveal details of the discussions or confirm whether the US had formally responded.
“The clock on diplomacy has not stopped. The peace process is working,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.
