Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif reacted to a statement by US president Donald Trump that he had instructed to shoot down Iranian warships chasing American ships.

“The US military is hit by over 5000 #covid19 infections. @realdonaldtrump should attend to their needs, not engage in threats cheered on by Saddam's terrorists. Also, US forces have no business 7,000 miles away from home, provoking our sailors off our OWN Persian Gulf shores,” he tweeted. 

Earlier, Donald Trump said he had instructed to destroy Iranian warships chasing American ships.

“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea,” Trump tweeted.

The US military is hit by over 5000 #covid19 infections. @realdonaldtrump should attend to their needs, not engage in threats cheered on by Saddam's terrorists.

Also, US forces have no business 7,000 miles away from home, provoking our sailors off our OWN Persian Gulf shores. pic.twitter.com/7CjzabkyVK

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) April 23, 2020