Donald Trump warns Iran the US is 'watching' as military armada heads to the region in wake of violent protests
Donald Trump has warned Iran that the US is 'watching' - as he claimed the US had sent a military armada to the region in the wake of violent protests.
Listen to this article
The US President made the comments aboard Air Force One on Thursday, as he returned from the launch of his Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Insisting the US is "watching Iran", the President added that 'watching' included a wave of "military ships that are headed toward the region should they be needed."
It comes as Iran's Supreme Leader hit out at Trump, blaming the President for the thousands of casualties in the country following widespread anti-regime protests on the US and Israel.
Read more: Iran protests death toll 'over 16,000' as Khamenei blames bloodshed on US and Israel
Read more: MPs call for Iranian Revolutionary Guard to be designated terrorist organisation
In return, the US President described Iran's tactics against protests as "ancient" and actions "from a thousand years ago".
It follows a new report suggesting that at least 16,000 protestors have been killed in the anti-government protests in Iran.
Deaths in the region remain widely underreported given the national internet blackout that was imposed during the protests.
Trump continued to insist on Thursday that he had "stopped 837 hangings" in Iran, telling leaders in Davos that those individuals "would've been dead, everybody would've been hung," had he not intervened.
US boats are said to be moving towards Iran from the South China Sea, with other military movements including F-15 Strike Eagles arriving in Jordan - marking a notable buildup of US forces in the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was also tracked to the region in recent days.
"We have a big flotilla going in that direction. We’ll see what happens," Trump was heard to say.
"We have a big force going toward Iran," Trump added.
"I'd rather not see anything happen but we're watching them very closely."
It comes as MPs called on the Government this week to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation amid the ongoing protests in Iran.
Thousands have now been killed by Iranian security forces since demonstrations erupted across the country on December 28, intensifying calls in the UK to ban the IRGC, a branch of the Iranian armed forces.
Labour MP Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster), said her Iranian constituents have called for the “strongest possible action on sanctions” and “fastest possible progress on proscribing the IRGC”.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said the Government has accepted a review by Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, which set out why a proscription-like tool for state threats is necessary.
He said that the Government “intends to legislate”, but that it would need to be taken forward by the Home Office.