US President Donald Trump criticized France for refusing to allow military supply flights to Israel to cross its airspace, in a post on Truth Social.
“The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The USA. will REMEMBER!!!” Trump said.
US President Donald Trump urged countries facing jet fuel shortages due to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz to secure supplies themselves, while criticizing the United Kingdom’s stance on the conflict with Iran.
“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the US, we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” he added.
Dozens of money changers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards were arrested in the United Arab Emirates after tensions rose following attacks by the Islamic Republic, sources familiar with the matter told Iran International.
The sources said the detainees had worked with financial entities tied to the Islamic Republic, including companies linked to the Guards, helping transfer funds on their behalf.
They said companies linked to those arrested were shut down and their offices closed.
UAE authorities also summoned some other money changers and told them to leave the country, the sources said.
The development follows earlier measures targeting Iranian nationals in the UAE. In recent days, some Iranian residents outside the country found their residency visas revoked before returning, preventing re-entry, according to accounts received by Iran International on Saturday.
Several affected individuals said the cancellations were carried out without prior notice. One Iranian resident said that after traveling to India with his family following the outbreak of war, he discovered his residency had been revoked, while his non-Iranian family members were still allowed to return to the UAE.
Earlier reports had also pointed to the cancellation of tourist visas for Iranian nationals traveling to the country.
Israel’s military said it carried out another wave of strikes overnight on weapons production sites in Tehran, targeting facilities linked to missile and advanced arms development.
The military said the targets included a plant used to produce and fill ballistic missile warheads, as well as research and production sites for missile components and other weapons.
It added that Israeli forces also continued to hit air defense systems in Tehran, including launch sites and anti-aircraft positions.
An Iranian lawmaker said Tehran is ready for a potential ground conflict with the United States, according to Iranian media.
Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani said Iran has strong ground forces and is “waiting for a ground conflict to show the peak of our power.”
He added that Donald Trump is in a position where whether he continues the war or withdraws, “he has lost in any case.”
As the war enters its fifth week, tensions between Tehran and Washington are rising, with both sides sending mixed signals over diplomacy and the risk of further escalation.
At the diplomatic level, reports suggest indirect contacts are continuing, even as the gap between public rhetoric and behind-the-scenes diplomacy appears wider than ever.
In Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has emerged as a key voice. Reportedly playing a leading role in managing indirect contacts with Washington, he has maintained a consistently hard line.
In a four-page message issued on March 29 to mark the 30th day of the war, he dismissed recent US diplomatic messaging, including reports of a 15-point proposal, as unrealistic. He said Washington was trying “to achieve through talks what it could not win on the battlefield.”
Ghalibaf accused the United States of duplicity, saying Washington was publicly speaking of negotiations while privately preparing for escalation. He warned that Iranian forces were ready to inflict heavy losses on any US troops attempting a ground operation, as well as on their regional allies.
He also argued that US and Israeli objectives had already been scaled back. According to him, their objectives had shifted “from regime change to merely securing the Strait of Hormuz,” and disruptions to shipping had forced Iran’s adversaries to “beg” for talks.
Iranian military officials echoed the same defiant tone. A military spokesperson said on Sunday that Iranian forces had long awaited a possible US ground operation and warned Donald Trump not to “drag his soldiers into the jaws of captivity and death and not to plunge the American people into widespread mourning.”
Senior political figures reinforced the same line. First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref said negotiations over key issues such as the Strait of Hormuz would be possible only if Iran’s adversaries “pledge not to invade and recognize Iran’s international rights.”
On social media, pro-government users in Iran also largely rejected the idea of compromise. One post on X said: “There continues to be no form of negotiation or message exchange between Iran and America… Iran's decision is to continue the war until the complete achievement of objectives.”
Washington: Optimism and threats
By contrast, Washington has projected a mix of cautious optimism and mounting threats.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that indirect contacts with Iranian figures were continuing through intermediaries.
He said some figures within Iran’s leadership were “saying some of the right things privately,” but added that it was still unclear whether they had the authority to act.
Trump, however, has struck a much more aggressive tone. While insisting that talks are going “extremely well,” he has repeatedly threatened military action, including strikes on critical infrastructure.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, he wrote: “If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached… we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island.”
He also suggested the United States could maintain a presence there, adding to the pressure behind his warnings.
Claims and counterclaims
Trump has also said that Iran recently allowed 20 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz “as a tribute” to the United States.
He said the permit was granted under the authority of Ghalibaf, whom he portrayed as playing an increasingly influential role within Iran’s power structure.
Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed the claim.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said he was dealing with a “very reasonable” new group in Iran and suggested an agreement could be near. He also claimed Tehran had already accepted “most of the points” in his proposed framework.
Last week, Elias Hazrati, head of Iran’s government information council, dismissed reports of a US peace proposal as “media speculations” and a “wish list.”
Information warfare and market signals
Beyond the military and diplomatic rhetoric, both sides appear to be engaged in a parallel battle over information and perception.
In a widely shared English-language post, Ghalibaf accused Trump of trying to move financial markets through strategic messaging. He advised observers to treat such statements as reverse signals, writing: “Do the opposite: If they pump it, short it. If they dump it, go long.”
The post, which drew around 10 million views by Monday, showed Tehran’s awareness of what it sees as US information warfare aimed at influencing market volatility.
Online reactions reflected the same view. One Iranian user commented: “They’re playing mind games with the American public to crash the market. And honestly, they’re playing it well. Extremely, extremely well.”