Tehran residents express unity as U.S. military buildup casts shadow of possible strike

People in Tehran, capital of Iran, are showing valuable unity and courage in face of possible attacks, as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to heat up.

The United States has increased its military presence in the Middle East and issued new threats following U.S. President Donald Trump's recent endorsement of Iran's anti-government protests.

On Wednesday, Trump said that a "massive armada," led by the aircraft carrier the USS Abraham Lincoln and larger than the one previously deployed to Venezuela, is heading toward Iran, and warned Tehran that "time is running out" to reach a deal with the U.S. over its nuclear program.

Two days later, Trump called on Iran to return to negotiations for what he described as a "fair and equitable deal," while again emphasizing the U.S. military's strong presence in the region.

Despite the unpredictable situation, daily life continues as normal in Tehran. But beneath the surface, people are grappling with economic hardship, political uncertainty and the possibility of a US attack -- pressures that appear to be uniting the public against foreign intervention.

"I don't want foreigners to solve our problems. Honestly, I wish people inside the country had already solved the problems," said Shahla, a local resident.

"The threats from the United States are empty, and they cannot do anything. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is so strong. We should listen to our leader in order to succeed," said a Mojtaba, a resident in Tehran.

Despite all the challenges Iranians are facing every day, they are showing courage and determination in defending their country from foreign intervention.

"The United States cannot attack Iran, and even if it does, we young people will respond. We are victorious," said Majid, a Tehran resident.

"It is our duty to defend our country, and we are not afraid of the US carriers. We have no fear of them," said Mohammadi, another resident.

Heavy fog blanketed large parts of Dezhou City of east China's Shandong Province early on Monday morning, prompting widespread expressway closures.

The fog has reduced visibility to less than 200 meters in some areas and less than 50 meters locally.

In response, local traffic authorities imposed control measures on several expressways to ensure safety. Meanwhile, traffic police officers intensified patrols to prevent accidents.

The fog began to clear at 10:00 and the traffic control on expressways were lifted later.