Tasnim � Commander of Iran�s Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters Major General Gholam Ali Rashid highlighted the country�s military preparedness in the face of US threats and said the Islamic Republic�s offense power can surprise any aggressor.

Speaking at a meeting with Secretary of Iran�s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, Major General Rashid referred to possible future threats and highlighted the preparedness of the country�s Armed Forces to counter them.

�The Armed Forces� decisive and smart confrontation with threatening behaviors and actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will prevent the acceptance of the risk of aggression on Iran�s land and its honorable nation because the costs of such an aggression would be much more than its achievements,� he stated.

�Iran�s defense and offense powers would have surprising and incalculable aspects for the aggressors,� the commander said.

�We hope that US provocations will not endanger the stability and security of the region,� he went on to say.

The remarks came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US after the Islamic Republic shot down an advanced US spy drone over its territorial waters.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on June 20 that a US spy drone that violated the Iranian territorial airspace in the early hours of the day was shot down by the IRGC Aerospace Force�s air defense unit near the Kooh-e-Mobarak region in the southern province of Hormozgan.

The intruding drone was reportedly shot by Iran�s homegrown air defense missile system �Khordad-3rd�.

Later on the same day, US President Donald Trump said he had called off a retaliatory attack on a number of targets in Iran and said that he was ready to speak with Iranian leaders and come to an understanding that would allow the country to improve its economic prospects. �What I�d like to see with Iran, I�d like to see them call me.�

�I look forward to the day where we can actually help Iran. We're not looking to hurt Iran,� Trump added.

However, on June 24 Trump announced new sanctions against top Iranian officials, including the office of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, Iran�s foreign minister, and senior commanders of the IRGC.