Iran is preparing a secret plan in case of an escalation of the war with the US, reports The Wall Street Journal. Intercepted messages and other intelligence indicate a strategic shift in actions by Iranian hardliners aimed at increasing the costs to the US and its regional allies.

After US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran in mid-June, administration officials fanned out to build support for an agreement they hoped would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and start winding down the war. Iran’s hard-line leaders huddled in Tehran and came up with a different plan, according to Iranian and Arab officials.

In their view the pact was likely just an attempt by the US and Israel to take pressure off the global economy and buy time for a bigger attack down the road. Instead of putting faith in talks, they took the past two months to prepare for a bigger fight.