TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attends a meeting with foreign ministry officials yesterday. - AFP

TEHRAN: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani warned the United States not to "play with the lion's tail" yesterday, saying that conflict with Iran would be the "mother of all wars". Addressing his US counterpart Donald Trump, Rouhani said: "You declare war and then you speak of wanting to support the Iranian people. "You cannot provoke the Iranian people against their own security and interests," he said in a televised speech at a gathering of Iranian diplomats in Tehran.

Rouhani repeated his warning that Iran could shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for international oil supplies. "We have always guaranteed the security of this strait. Do not play with the lion's tail, you will regret it forever," he said. "Peace with Iran would be the mother of all peace and war with Iran would be the mother of all wars."

Rouhani spoke ahead of a much-trailed speech by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later yesterday, seen as part of Washington's efforts to foment unrest against the Islamic government in Iran. The US is seeking to tighten the economic screws on Iran, abandoning a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposing stringent sanctions. Washington has also launched concerted propaganda efforts in Iran, including social media campaigns, designed to exacerbate popular discontent.

"You are not in a position to incite the Iranian nation against Iran's security and interests," Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to the efforts by Washington to destabilize Iran's Islamic government. In Washington, US officials familiar with the matter told Reuters that the Trump administration has launched an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups. Current and former US officials said the campaign paints Iranian leaders in a harsh light, at times using information that is exaggerated or contradicts other official pronouncements, including comments by previous administrations.

"Whenever Europe has sought an agreement with us, the White House has sown discord," Rouhani said. But he added: "We must not think that the White House will remain forever at this level of opposition to international law, against the Muslim world." Separately, a top Iranian military commander warned that the Trump government might be preparing to invade Iran. "The enemy's behavior is unpredictable," military chief of staff General Mohammad Baqeri said, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. "Although the current American government does not seem to speak of a military threat, according to precise information it has been trying to persuade the US military to launch a military invasion (of Iran)," Baqeri said. - Agencies