Iran warns of risks. casualties if blocade of its ports continues

Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz since it came under attack from US and Israeli air strikes on 28 February. Credit- Reuters

• Mohsen Rezaei, a top Iranian military adviser, warns US “vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties” if Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports continues.

• US President Donald Trump says talks with Iran are under way, warning that the negotiations are Tehran’s “last chance” to secure a deal to end the five-month conflict.

• Tehran denies holding talks with Washington, saying it is speaking to Oman about the Strait of Hormuz.

• Trump’s Board of Peace says Hamas must completely disarm before Israel withdraws from Gaza after Israeli pushback.

• Israeli forces have killed two Palestinians in an attack on Gaza City, as Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye issue a joint statement condemning Israel’s continued attacks on the Strip.

For months now, US President Donald Trump has been making near-daily proclamations about the war on Iran – from threats of extensive bombing to claims of renewed negotiations.

But Faezeh, a financial firm employee in Iran’s capital, says she has long stopped paying attention.

“His words certainly impact our lives, but I try to escape this toxic environment of uncertainty by focusing on what I can control and protecting myself and my loved ones,” the 27-year-old told Al Jazeera.

She is not the only one to do so.

As the war approaches its six-month mark, many Iranians are opting against chasing the nonstop headlines in an effort to protect their mental health. This week, as the threat of large-scale US military action again loomed large, the level of expectation and concern among Iranians appeared to be much lower than on April 7, when the US president warned that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”, only to announce a ceasefire shortly afterwards.

“The US used to have presidents who talked less and did more,” asserted Roham, a colleague of Faezeh at the financial company in central Tehran. “But now with the role of social media and other outlets in which Mr Trump is well-versed, he talks more and doesn’t have to do as much,” he told Al Jazeera.