Tehran unveils anti-US mural amid rising tensions

A large mural with an anti-US message was unveiled on January 25 at Enghelab Square in Tehran, depicting a warship and fighter jets set against a stylized American flag. 

The artwork bore the phrase, “He who sows the wind will reap the storm,” a warning frequently used in Iranian official messaging during periods of heightened tension with the United States, Caliber.Az cites Iran International. 

Tensions surged after the United States carried out direct airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, which Iran condemned as a major escalation and a violation of international law. On January 22, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington has a “massive fleet” en route to Iran “just in case.”

The display also coincides with the aftermath of a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran. Reports indicate that more than 36,500 people were killed by security forces during the January 8–9 demonstrations, marking the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International’s Editorial Board. Earlier reporting by TIME, citing leaked data from Iran’s Ministry of Health, suggested that as many as 30,000 people may have died during the peak of the protests based on hospital records.

By Sabina Mammadli