The head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ powerful Basij militia has dismissed the latest threats against the Islamic Republic from Donald Trump as “psychological warfare”.

“America wants nothing less than to destroy Iran,” Gholamhossein Gheybparvar told Iranian news agency Isna on Monday. Referring to “this crazy president” he said Mr Trump “has another thing coming if he thinks he can act against Iran”. He added: “We will never abandon our revolutionary beliefs ... and both the people and armed forces will stand firm in the face of enemies.”

Iranians take to streets of Tehran in biggest protests since 2012

The comments come in the wake of a new war of words between the US leader and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani.

Mr Trump used upper case to tweet a warning: “NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE”.

He added: “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”.

Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty

The unprecedented threat came after Mr Rouhani used a speech earlier in the day to refer to Mr Trump’s aggressive anti-Iran policies, telling him “not to play with the lion’s tail”.

Mr Rouhani also said any conflict with Iran could lead to the “mother of all wars”.

Those remarks, in turn, came after US secretary of state Mike Pompeo told Iranian-Americans at an address in California that the US stood with Iranians currently protesting against their country’s ruling elite, which he called a “mafia” that was “heartlessly repressing its own people’s human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms”.

Relations between Tehran and Washington DC have reached new lows since May, when Mr Trump fulfilled an election campaign promise to pull out of the 2016 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

The White House has since announced it will increase sanctions designed to deter Iran from pursuing any nuclear weapon ambitions.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, analysts believe military confrontation between the two countries is highly unlikely.