US lacks courage for military confrontation with Iran: Iran army chief

The United States lacks the courage for military confrontation with Iran, the Islamic Republic's army chief said on Sunday, according to state TV.

"In a potential conflict in the future, which I don't think they (Americans) have the courage to carry out, there it will become clear where the numbers five and two will belong," Iran's Army chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said in response to a threat by US President Donald Trump on Saturday.

Trump on Sunday warned Iran that the United States targeted 52 sites in Iran and asserted of hitting them "very fast and very hard" if threats to the US are not stopped. 

Taking to Twitter, Trump said Iran is talking very boldly about targetting "US assets" after the killing of top commander Qasem Soleimani. 

"Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years."

He added that 52 represents the number of US hostages taken by Iran many years ago. 

"Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targetted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!," Trump tweeted.