If Iran Does Anything, It Will be Very Bad Mistake - Trump Amid Soaring Tensions

The statement appeared amid escalating tensions between the two countries after Tehran last week announced its decision to suspend some of its obligations under the nuclear deal. Using the pretext of a possible threat from Iran, Washington deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf.

Commenting on the escalating situation between the US and Iran, President Trump told journalists at the White House on Monday that Washington is "watching the situation, if they [Iranians] do anything, it would be a very bad mistake".

"If they do anything they will suffer greatly," the president added.

Tensions between the US and Iran have been escalating in recent days after the Pentagon over the weekend deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and bomber task force to the Persian Gulf in what a senior administration official called a "clear and unmistakable" message to the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic condemned the move as "an unskillful use of a worn-out event to wage a psychological war" against the country.

Last week, Tehran announced its decision to suspend some of the obligations under the agreement, one year after the US' abrupt withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that he gave European countries 60 days to hold negotiations with Iran.

READ MORE: Russian FM: Iran Had the Right to Partially Suspend Nuclear Deal Commitments

According to Tehran, these measures were taken in response to the US violating the JCPOA, reintroducing sanctions and depriving the remaining signatories — Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia — of the possibility to adequately resolve the situation.

One year ago, on 8 May, US President Donald Trump, a long-time critic of the historic Iran nuclear deal, pulled out of the agreement. Since then, Washington has unveiled several rounds of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, targeting the country's finance, transport, military and other spheres. Washington also vowed to drive Iran's oil exports down to zero and demanded that others countries stop any such purchases.

Iran, China, Germany, France, Russia, the UK, and EU reaffirmed their commitment to the deal after the United States exited.