Tasnim – Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, shrugged off the recent deployment of US warships to the Persian Gulf waters, saying the Americans know that they cannot afford a military confrontation with Iran.

“This (the deployment of US warships to the region) is not a new phenomenon as these warships have always been present in our region illegally and outside the norms of international (law),” Boroujerdi told Tasnim.

“The presence of these ships is just psychological warfare to which we have been accustomed for many years and we have the power to confront them,” the lawmaker added.

The Iranian Armed Forces’ current level of power is not comparable to the past, especially to the era of the Sacred Defense, the former chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said, referring to the 1980-1988 Iraqi imposed war on Iran.

“The capability of our Armed Forces today is tens of times more than that in the Sacred Defense in all fields, including missiles, air defense, and aerial (defense),” Boroujerdi went on to say.

The Pentagon approved the deployment of a Patriot missile defense battery and a Navy ship to the Middle East amid increasing tensions between Iran and the US.

The USS Arlington and a Patriot battery will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a US Air Force bomber task force, which were deployed earlier in the week to the region in response to “heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations”, according to US media.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that his administration had information Iran was "threatening" the United States, though he provided no details.

"We have information that you don't want to know about," Trump said. But he added that "we don't want to have to do anything."

Trump said 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.