More than 1 million ready for ground war with U.S., Iranian media report
In this picture taken on June 30, 2010, Pakistani Baluch army recruits take part in a training exercise at the army academy in Quetta. The army recently relaxed requirements on Baluch men signing up, but the numbers who have joined a training academy in Quetta are minimal. Many Baluch see the army as the problem, not the solution, in a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half its 63-year existence. “Baluch people don’t like the military’s presence and interference in civilian affairs. Such efforts will further hatred against the armed forces,” said Hakeem Baloch, a former chief secretary in Baluchistan and political analyst. Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has suffered from a separatist insurgency for six years. Sectarian killings targeting non-Baluch and non-Sunni Muslims are on the rise in Quetta, the regional capital. AFP PHOTO/AAMIR QURESHI (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI / AFP)
Iranian media reported on Thursday that more than one million people were prepared for possible ground conflict with U.S. forces amid rising tensions.
Iranian media reported on Thursday that more than one million people had been prepared to confront U.S. forces in the event of a possible ground conflict, as tensions remained high despite President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 10-day pause in planned action against Iran’s energy facilities. Trump said the delay came at Tehran’s request, but Iran denied asking for any such pause.
Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, said the United States wanted to reopen the Strait of Hormuz through what it called “dangerous and self-destructive measures,” adding that Iran was ready both to confront such a move and to ensure the waterway remained closed. The report said the preparations were part of broader Iranian readiness for any possible land confrontation with U.S. forces.
The remarks came as Trump said Washington had agreed to suspend action targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure for 10 days, extending the deadline to April 6 while diplomatic contacts continued. Tehran, however, rejected Trump’s account and insisted it had not sought extra time, underscoring the deep mistrust and sharply different public messaging on both sides.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the crisis, with Iran using the narrow waterway as a pressure point in its confrontation with the United States and its allies. Any prolonged disruption there could have major consequences for global oil and gas markets, as around a fifth of the world’s seaborne energy trade passes through the strait.
Regional mediation efforts have continued in parallel with the military threats, with Gulf states and other intermediaries trying to keep diplomatic channels open and prevent the conflict from widening further. But recent exchanges suggest both Washington and Tehran remain far apart on the terms of any broader de-escalation.
The current standoff follows weeks of war and rising confrontation after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran on regional targets. The conflict has already rattled energy markets, raised shipping risks and drawn in regional actors concerned about spillover effects.
Iran has long viewed the Strait of Hormuz as one of its main strategic levers in any confrontation with the West, while the United States and its partners have repeatedly said they would seek to protect freedom of navigation there. That has made the waterway one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the broader crisis.
For now, the 10-day pause offers only a narrow opening for diplomacy, while both sides continue to signal readiness for further escalation. With military threats, economic pressure and regional mediation all unfolding at once, the coming days could prove critical in determining whether the crisis moves toward talks or deeper confrontation.
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