Donald Trump has shared an image of himself holding a gun alongside the caption, “no more Mr Nice guy.”
The post came a day after Trump claimed that King Charles III agreed with his view that Iran should never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
The image reportedly showed Trump carrying a firearm with an exploding Iranian landscape in the background.
Meanwhile, Iran recently proposed easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz if the United States lifts its blockade and ends hostilities.
The proposal was said to delay discussions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.
Despite a fragile ceasefire, both countries remain locked in a tense standoff over the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas trade passes during peacetime.
Reports suggest Trump’s latest post indicates rejection of the proposal, which was allegedly conveyed to American officials through Pakistan.
The U.S. blockade is aimed at restricting Iran’s oil exports and cutting off a major source of revenue.
The continued closure of the Strait has also placed pressure on global markets, with rising fuel prices affecting consumers and economies worldwide.
In another development, a hacker group identified as Handala Hack Team, reportedly linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, claimed responsibility for exposing personal information of thousands of U.S. Marines stationed in the Persian Gulf.
On its Telegram channel, they wrote: “Today, merely as a demonstration, and to prove the extent of our intelligence superiority, we have published the full personal details of 2,379 U.S. Marines stationed in the Persian Gulf region.
“This is just a drop in the ocean of our surveillance capabilities. The ‘security’ that American commanders boast about is nothing more than an empty illusion, a childish fantasy.”
Iran has continued issuing threats toward U.S. military personnel in the Middle East as tensions remain high.