Iran will be destroyed if it attacks washington's interests: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, saying the country will be destroyed if it attacks Washington's interests.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise as the United States has deployed a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over what it termed Iranian threats.

White House has sent mixed signals in recent days, amid multiple US media reports of infighting in Donald Trump's cabinet over how hard to push Washington's arch-foe Iran. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential



diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers to the region.

According to US media reports, President Trump's long-hawkish national security advisor John Bolton is pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in the administration are resisting.

Iran's foreign minister downplayed the prospect of a new war in the region, saying Tehran opposed it and no party was under the "illusion" the Islamic republic could be confronted.