U.S. President Donald Trump says he's "ready" for Iran,... after threatening Tuesday to obliterate parts of the Islamic Republic if it attacked "anything American".
Watchers say the latest remarks from both sides have renewed the possibility of a war amid Washington's recent sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader and his officials.
Lee Seung-jae has more.
More bitter rhetoric between the United States and Iran as tensions threaten to boil over.
President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday,... saying any attack by Iran on "anything American" will be met with "great and overwhelming force",... warning that "in some areas, overwhelming will mean obliteration".
President Trump's latest comments come as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed the new U.S. sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,... calling the White House "mentally retarded",...an insult the Middle Eastern nation has used in the past about Trump.
In a speech broadcast live on state TV on Tuesday,... Rouhani said sanctions against Iran's Supreme Leader would fail because he has no assets abroad,... adding the U.S. measures are a sign of desperation.
Meanwhile, when asked if the two sides could hold talks to end their spat,... President Trump said he's ready... anytime Iran is ready.

"When they are ready, they will let us know. Very simple. Ready to do whatever. It doesn't make any difference. Whatever they want to do, I'm ready."

Earlier this week,... Trump cited his efforts with North Korea,... saying Iran has the potential to be a great economic nation if it abandons its nuclear ambitions.
However, according to the U.S. president,... the Iranian leadership needs to change first.

"It's too bad this is happening. They're living badly right now. Their country is not doing well economically at all. That can be changed very quickly, very easily. But they have to get rid of the hostility from the leadership. The leadership, I hope they stay, I hope they do a great job. But they should talk to us decently. We're we're all for them. We wanted to be done properly."

Tensions have soared over the past several days after Iran downed a U.S. drone last week and President Trump called off a retaliatory air strike with minutes to spare.
The strike would've been the first U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic in four decades of mutual hostility.
Experts say such an action could rapidly escalate into a wider conflict that could engulf the Middle East.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.