Washington is considering sending reinforcements and Russia warns against provoking Tehran

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Chanahan said his country was considering sending additional troops to the Middle East, while Russia warned of what it called provocation of Iran, whose officials said their country would not give in and refused to negotiate at the moment.

"What we are looking at is: is there anything we can do to strengthen the protection of forces in the Middle East? It may involve sending additional troops," he said.

But in statements to reporters outside the Defense Department, the US official rejected reports that specific numbers of troops were under investigation at this stage.

For its part, said the Russian Foreign Ministry that Washington deliberately provoke Tehran, saying that this is a dangerous path.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on Washington to consider the consequences of what it called aggressive behavior towards Iran.

Iranian responses
Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said on Thursday that his country would not give in to American pressure and would not abandon its objectives even if it was bombed, as the war of words between Tehran and the United States escalated.

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said that his country has the ability to confront any military aggression by force, but in the right circumstances able to negotiate and cooperation also, adding that Tehran will not face a dead end.

Earlier, the Fars news agency quoted a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard today as saying that the confrontation between Iran and the United States is a "conflict of wills," pointing out that any "adventure" of enemies will face an overwhelming response.

Iran has revealed that it has received foreign secret delegations on the tension with the United States, while setting its position on negotiations with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

"Some delegations that visited us secretly told us that our current position is not to negotiate," the Iranian National Security Council said.

Tension between Iran and the United States has grown since Washington pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2015 and re-imposed tough sanctions on Tehran.

Tensions have doubled in recent days after the Pentagon announced the dispatch of aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and B-25 bombers to the Middle East, allegedly for intelligence about possible preparations by Iran to carry out attacks against US forces or interests.

But the two sides have repeatedly stressed their unwillingness to enter into a military war.