The US President has issued a direct threat to Iran - tweeting that if Iran wants to fight, it will be the end of the country.

However, later he said he would prefer an economic war.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has hit back - saying Iran won't be intimidated by - quote – “genocidal taunts”.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been on the rise, after the United States deployed an aircraft carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified Iranian “threats”.

Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis reports.