Top Iranian official Ali Larijani has stressed that his country is prepared to confront a possible invasion from the United States, pledging to capture and kill US troops if they enter the country.

Thursday’s statement comes as US officials, including President Donald Trump, refuse to rule out deploying forces inside Iran.

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Larijani, who serves as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, warned that such actions would have dire consequences.

“Some American officials have stated that they intend to enter Iranian territory on the ground with several thousand troops,” Larijani said in a statement.

He then added a pointed reference to Iran’s former supreme leaders, Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei, the latter of whom was killed on Saturday in a joint US-Israeli strike.

“The valiant sons of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are [waiting] for you, ready to disgrace those corrupt American officials by killing and capturing thousands,” he said.

Larijani, who was a close adviser to the assassinated supreme leader, is believed to be one of the most powerful figures in Iran.

Israel and the US have dropped thousands of bombs on Iran since the latest conflict began on Saturday, and Tehran has responded with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East.

Trump has said that the war is proceeding better than expected, with the US and Israel in control of Iran’s skies and striking the country with no reprieve.

But Tehran has projected defiance, vowing to continue fighting to avenge Khamenei and repel the US and Israeli attacks.

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“We will not negotiate with the United States,” Larijani said earlier this week.

In the aftermath of Khamenei’s death, there have been few signs that Iran’s new leadership is willing to work with Washington.

But Trump has nevertheless expressed a desire to see Iran’s government follow the model set by his January 3 attack on Venezuela, which involved replacing the head of state with a figure who is friendly to the US.

In Venezuela, US forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and transported him to the US for trial. Within days, Maduro was succeeded by his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, with the backing of the US.

Rodriguez has since been cooperating with the US, including by allowing the Trump administration to sell millions of barrels of Venezuela’s oil. The rest of Venezuela’s government, meanwhile, has remained largely intact.

“What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario,” Trump told The New York Times on Sunday.

On Wednesday, Trump added that he would like to be “involved in the appointment” of Khamenei’s successor, like he had been “with Delcy in Venezuela”.

Trump also voiced opposition to Mojtaba Khamenei, the slain supreme leader’s son, who is believed to be one of the frontrunners to succeed his father as head of state.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” the US president told Axios.

The next supreme leaders will be chosen by a body of religious scholars known as the Council of Experts.