Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stands ready with its “finger on the trigger” to fend off any US or Israeli aggression, its commander, General Mohammad Pakpour has warned. It comes soon after Tehran managed to contain mass protests which had been going on for weeks.

The unrest erupted in late December over rising inflation and the collapse of the national currency, quickly descending into violent riots accompanied by political demands. According to the Iranian authorities, weeks of violence left at least 3,000 people dead, with Tehran accusing the US and Israel of instigating the turmoil. US President Donald Trump has made several threats against Tehran, telling Iranian demonstrators at one point that “help is on its way.”

Pakpour pledged that Tehran’s adversaries would incur “painful” ramifications at the hands of Iranian forces in the event of an attack, as cited by Nournews on Saturday. The general also warned the US and Israel against making “any miscalculations” and pledged to inflict a “painful and regrettable fate” on any would-be aggressor. The IRGC is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger” to defend Iran, he stressed.

After repeatedly threatening to use force against Iran, President Trump appeared to tone down his rhetoric somewhat last weekend, claiming that he had “convinced” himself not to attack the country after all. The remark followed several reports suggesting that US military strikes against the Islamic Republic were imminent.

Speaking to reporters on Friday however, Trump stated that he was still closely “watching” the situation in the country.

”We have a massive fleet heading in that direction… and maybe we won’t have to use it… we have a lot of ships heading in that direction, just in case,” the US president said.

While the Pentagon has issued no official statement, a number of media reports have indicated that an aircraft carrier group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln is en route to the Middle East from the South China Sea.

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