Tasnim � A senior spokesman for the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces shrugged off the US president�s recent comments about naval confrontation with Iran, warning that the Americans will receive a hard slap in the face for the merest violation of Iran�s territorial waters.

Speaking in a televised program on Tuesday, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi lashed out at the US for causing disturbance in the Persian Gulf and the regional countries.

He also dismissed US President Donald Trump�s recent threat that the US Navy will fire at Iranian boats as part of a �psychological warfare� with the purpose of attracting public attention ahead of the US presidential election.

Last week, Trump tweeted that he has directed the US navy to fire upon Iranian �gunboats� that �harass� US ships at sea.

General Shekarchi warned the US to think about the consequences of such an action, saying, �The Americans must have seen (it before and know well) that if they take the smallest act of aggression against the Islamic Republic�s territorial waters or the interests of our people, they would receive a slap harder than before.�

�It�s no joke when it comes to defending our country,� the general stressed.

Taking a swipe at the US for violating the international law and creating problems in the region, the Iranian military official said, �Under such circumstances, if they (the US) make a possible mistake and receive a slap (from Iran), it will be justifiable that they deserve such a slap.�

His comments came after the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces denounced the presence of American forces in the region as the root cause of insecurity for regional countries, warning that any provocative move by the US will draw a harsh response from Iran�s military forces.