Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

US President Donald Trump stated that Iran had 'made a very big mistake' shortly after Iran shot down an American drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

"Iran made a very big mistake!," Trump tweeted

Iran claimed that the drone had violated its airspace. However, the US stated that the drone had been shot down in international airspace.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami warned that Iran is "ready" for war after shooting down the drone, CNN reported.

“The downing of the American drone is an open, clear and categorical message, which is: the defenders of the borders of Iran will decisively deal with any foreign aggression” Salami said. “This is the way the Iranian nation deals with its enemies.”

Salami added that Iran does not "want war with any country, but we are completely and totally ready and prepared for war."

The shooting down of the American drone comes amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US. Earlier on Wednesday, the Pentagon said that the latest deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East, announced earlier this week, will include a Patriot missile battalion, manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft and “other deterrence capabilities.”

“The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend US forces and interests in the region,” a Pentagon spokeswoman said in a statement.

The US deployment was announced by the Pentagon following last week’s attacks on two tankers as they were passing through the Gulf of Oman.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attacks had Iran "written all over it", rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo similarly accused Iran of being behind the attacks in the Gulf of Oman. Iran's parliament speaker, meanwhile, hinted that Washington could be behind the tanker attacks in an attempt to pile pressure on Tehran.