Iran general takes jibe at Trump, says should focus on saving US from virus

Iran's military spokesman onWednesday said US President Donald Trump should concentrate on "saving" his own country from the "major crisis" caused by coronavirus rather thanmaking threats.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman forIran's armed forces, said "today, instead of intimidating others, the Americans would do better to save their troops infected by the coronavirus."

"If the US is skilful and competent, they will withdraw their troops (from the Middle East) in order to save (the country) from the coronavirus disease... before mobilising all other forces in the US... to save the people from this major crisis hitting their country," Shekarchi said.

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His comments came after Trump said on Twitter he had "instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea".

The Pentagon later said the US military considered the tweet a message to the Iranian regime, suggesting that no new orders had been issued to US Navy ships patrolling the Gulf.

The US Defence Department had accused Iran of "dangerous and provocative" actions in the Gulf. The US department had said that eleven Iran boats had "repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns" of US vessels in international waters.

Iran dismissed the US allegation, saying that it was a "Hollywood account of the encounter" while warning the US that any "miscalculation will receive a decisive response".

The tensions between the two nations have escalated since a US drone strike killed Major General Qasem Soleimani, the former head of the country's elite Quds Force.

However, with the coronavirus sweeping the country Iran has accused the US of hurting it with sanctions at a time when its citizens are suffering.