Major General Hossein Salami said security in the gulf is part of Iran’s "strategic priorities." (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

The military leader’s comments come a day after President Donald Trump warned Iran about the ‘harassment’ of U.S. ships.

The leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said Thursday that the country will destroy any American force that threatens its ships in the Persian Gulf.

Major General Hossein Salami said on state television that he ordered his troops to "destroy any American terrorist force in the Persian Gulf that threatens security of Iran's military or non-military ships," Reuters reported, adding that security in the gulf is part of Iran's "strategic priorities."

Salami's comments come a day after President Donald Trump warned Iran about the "harassment" of U.S. ships.

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The president tweeted Wednesday that he had directed the Navy to "shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea." Trump was responding to an incident last week in which Iranian ships crossed in front of and behind U.S. vessels repeatedly at close range and high speeds.

The U.S. Navy 5th Fleet reported last week that Iran conducted "dangerous [and] harassing approaches on U.S. naval vessels" and the Navy said U.S. crews "took actions deemed appropriate to avoid a collision."

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif echoed Salami's sentiment on Thursday, tweeting that Trump should focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, "not engage in threats cheered on by Saddam's terrorists."

"U.S. forces have no business 7,000 miles away from home, provoking our sailors off our OWN Persian Gulf shores," Zarif tweeted.