Tensions in the Middle East are heating up, and all eyes are on Iran. With radar systems going online, Khamenei's mouthpiece demanding 'bullets in Trump's empty skull' and Tehran sending military warnings, the question is: Is Iran preparing for war with the United States?

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'Locked and loaded': Radar upgrades

Iran has been beefing up its defences. Open-source analysts have flagged a major expansion of the country’s Ghadir radar network, a system built to spot incoming aircraft, drones, and missiles from long distances. These radars are now being seen in critical regions, from Tabriz in the northwest to the Persian Gulf coastline. This raises the question: Is Iran bracing for a possible strike?

Khamenei sounds the alarm

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According to Reuters, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered the country’s armed forces onto high alert. The directive reportedly comes in response to threats from US President Donald Trump, suggesting that things could escalate quickly.

Adding to the tensions, Iran has warned its Gulf neighbours, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, not to assist the US militarily. Even just allowing the US to use their airspace could be seen as an act of war, officials said.

Also read: Israeli PM Netanyahu arrives in Washington to discuss tariffs, Gaza and Iran with US President Trump

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"Such an act will have severe consequences for them," one Iranian source warned.

This comes after Trump's warning of intense bombing on Iran if it did not back down on its nuclear agenda. "If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump said. "But there's a chance that if they don't make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago," Trump added.

Talks? Maybe

Despite the tensions, Iran isn’t completely shutting the door on diplomacy. Direct talks with Washington remain off the table, but indirect communication through Oman, a long-time neutral player, is still a possibility.

“There’s a chance to evaluate Washington's seriousness about a political solution with Iran,” said one unnamed Iranian official. But for any real breakthrough, Tehran insists Trump must ditch his “maximum pressure” campaign.

Also read: Iran’s top diplomat rejects offer for direct nuclear talks with US, calls it ‘meaningless’

The threat heard around the world

Iran’s Kayhan newspaper, often described as the mouthpiece of Khamenei himself, published an article that made global headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a line aimed at Trump, the paper wrote, "He’s way out of line! Any day now, in revenge for the blood of Martyr Soleimani, a few bullets are going to be fired into that empty skull of his, and he’ll be drinking from the chalice of a cursed death."

Also read: ‘Iran will retaliate’: Khamenei warns Trump against making ‘unwise’ threats, says ‘will inflict a blow’

Kayhan added, "He makes threats and then backs down! The result? The situation in America gets worse by the day. Just yesterday, it was announced that his actions have caused $3 trillion in damage to the US economy, American exports are facing serious problems, and top officials in the military, CIA, and elsewhere have either resigned or been dismissed."

So, is Iran preparing for war with the US? No one knows for sure, but the pieces are being moved into place.

Also read: 'There will be bombing like never before': Trump threatens Iran with strikes, tariffs over nuclear deal refusal