Revolutionary Guard Commander General Hossein Salami taunted Washington with references to the deadly attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001 which killed almost 3,000 people. He told the Iranian Fars news agency: “The US political system has an apparently huge body, but suffers from osteoporosis. In fact, the US is like a World Trade building that collapses with a sudden hit. The American system has cracked and lost its strength.”
Tensions have reached boiling point in the volatile region with US aviation officials warning airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk “mis-identification” and ordering non-essential diplomatic staff to leave the US Embassy in neighbouring Iraq.
But Gen Salami insisted Iran was not seeking conflict and declared: “The difference between us and them is that they are afraid of war and don’t have the will for it.”
His comments echo Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, who also stressed his country was “not seeking war” with the US.
Mr Zarif said: “In fact, as the supreme leader said, there will be no war since we are not seeking war and nobody in the region is suffering from hallucinations that they’re able to confront Iran.”
He acknowledged Donald Trump had also said he was not seeking armed conflict but warned “some that have sat around him” are pushing for such a conflict.
The US has ramped up its military presence in the Middle East in response to alleged Iranian threats and has sent warships including the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln an to the Arabian Sea.
The growing tensions along with disputes with the Iranian government has forced the UK to warn all citizens holding dual British and Iranian nationality to avoid travelling to Iran.
In a statement Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Dual nationals face an intolerable risk of mistreatment if they visit Iran.
“Despite the UK providing repeated opportunities to resolve this issue, the Iranian regime’s conduct has worsened.
“Having exhausted all other options, I must now advise all British-Iranian dual nationals against traveling to Iran.”
Trouble has been brewing for more than a year since Mr Trump’s decision to pull out of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this week Tehran would not negotiate another deal, which curbs Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
Tehran also notified the five remaining signatories that it would reduce some commitments under the treaty.
The US had hoped the sanctions and economic pressure would force Tehran to accept tougher curbs on its nuclear and missile programs and on its support for proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.