Iran has warned Donald Trump it has “one million fighters” ready to respond if US troops are sent into the country, adding they will unleash “hell”. State-run Tasnim News Agency, citing a military source, said Iran’s “ground fighters” are becoming more enthusiastic about creating “a historic hell for the Americans on Iranian soil”.

The source said young Iranians are applying to join the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the army, and the Basij, a paramilitary volunteer militia. They also warned the US against pushing further to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz, which could result in “suicide and self-destruction”.

The source said: “America wants to open the Strait through suicide and self-destruction; that’s fine. We are prepared for them to act on their suicide strategy, and for the Strait to remain closed.”

Tasnim reported: “As speculation grows about the possibility of America’s historic folly of entering a ground battle on Iran’s southern front, a wave of enthusiasm has formed among Iran’s ground fighters to create a historic hell for the Americans on Iranian soil.

“He noted that in addition to organising over one million fighters for ground combat, a massive influx of applications from young Iranians has poured into the centres of the Basij, the Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Army in recent days to participate in this fight as well.”

However, special envoy Steve Witkoff said during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that “it became quite clear” that Iran wouldn’t agree to a deal that fulfilled Washington’s objectives.

He also claimed that Iranian negotiators told the US that they have enough uranium to make “11 atomic bombs”. He added: “Finally, we have told Iran one last thing: don#t miscalculate again.”