Millions of people at risk: The clock is ticking, shelters are ready; 'If they start a war…' PHOTO

As a result, Iran is preparing shelters for 2.5 million residents of Tehran. According to the latest estimates, Iran has around 90 million inhabitants.The alert was issued on Saturday, when a US military WC-135R aircraft&mdash;known as the &lsquo;nuclear-sniffer&rsquo;&mdash;landed in the United Kingdom amid rising tensions with the Iranian regime, as speculation grew that the US is considering a new strike on Iran after attacks on three nuclear facilities in the country last June. Its arrival coincided with Trump&rsquo;s warning to Iran that it &lsquo;ran out of time&rsquo; to sign a new nuclear weapons ban agreement.Washington has already deployed a naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln off Iran&rsquo;s coast, after Trump threatened to intervene over the regime&rsquo;s deadly crackdown on demonstrators. Protests in Iran began over the economic situation late last year but quickly escalated into demonstrations against the regime. According to official sources, 3,117 people were killed in clashes, while activists claim around 6,563 deaths.The arrival of the US fleet sparked fears of direct conflict with Iran, which warned it would respond with missile attacks on US bases, ships, and allies, particularly Israel, in the event of an attack.Pressure on Iran was also increased by the European Union, which designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as a terrorist organization due to its violent suppression of protests in the country. European diplomatic sources stated that it is unclear whether Trump will launch a military strike, but they could not rule out the possibility.What Trump saidLast week, Trump stated that an additional &lsquo;massive fleet&rsquo; is moving toward Iran and that he hopes Tehran will sit at the negotiating table and reach a &lsquo;fair and just&rsquo; agreement, which would include complete abandonment of nuclear weapons.SAUL LOEB / AFP / Profimedia&#39;&#39;Iran is talking to us, and we&rsquo;ll see if we can do something; otherwise, we&rsquo;ll see what happens. We have a large fleet heading there,&#39;&#39; Trump said, adding that US allies in the region have not been informed of plans for possible strikes for security reasons.He, however, warned that any future US attack would be far more serious than the bombing in June 2025.What Iran saidTehran responded to Trump&rsquo;s statements by threatening the entire US military infrastructure and that of its allies in the Middle East in the event of any aggression against Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that a broader conflict would harm both Iran and the US, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a harsher warning.&lsquo;Americans should know that if they start a war this time, it will be a regional war,&rsquo; he said.After the EU designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, Iran implemented a similar measure.&lsquo;Iran considers all EU militaries to be terrorist groups,&rsquo; Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday, adding that Europe &lsquo;shot itself in the foot&rsquo; out of blind obedience to the US.Tanjug/UGC via AP, file He made the statement while he and other members of parliament were wearing IRGC uniforms, and chants of &lsquo;Death to America&rsquo; and &lsquo;Death to Israel&rsquo; were heard during the session Tehran also announced military exercises with live ammunition in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage through which a significant portion of global oil trade passes.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Iran is ready for negotiations, but they must take place without US threats and intimidation.Tehran prepares shelters for civiliansMeanwhile, shelters are being prepared for the residents of Tehran.&lsquo;More than 300 underground spaces, including parking lots and metro stations, will be used as shelters for 2.5 million residents of Tehran,&rsquo; said Ali Nasiri, head of Tehran&rsquo;s crisis management organization.According to him, 82 metro stations have been designated as shelters, currently equipped with life-saving facilities, including toilets and water and food supplies. Nasiri added that about 518 old shelters in schools have been identified, of which only around 20% can be restored.What&rsquo;s nextUS Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said that Trump has issued an ultimatum to Tehran, but the US does not want to destabilize Iran.&lsquo;We do not want a scenario like that seen in Libya after the overthrow of (the late Libyan President Muammar) Gaddafi, without a plan for the day after,&rsquo; Whitaker said, adding that the US will be cautious in the use of its power.&lsquo;Iran can easily and quickly reduce tensions; the ball is in their court. But, you know, Trump will not be patient forever on this issue,&rsquo; he added.Whitaker said the US &lsquo;is not asking for much,&rsquo; only that Iran halt its nuclear ambitions and end repression of its own population. He said that US allies understand that only the US has the capacity to take certain actions, recalling Washington&rsquo;s operations in Venezuela and previous actions against Iran in cooperation with Israel.

Millions of people at risk: The clock is ticking, shelters are ready; 'If they start a war…' PHOTO

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