The words were issued during a public speech in Tehran by a senior cleric who works closely with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named Ahmad Khatami. He told a congregation during Eid praryers in Tehran, "The price of a war with Iran is very high for America."

Khatami said, "They know if they harm this country and this state in the slightest way the United States and its main ally in the region, the Zionist regime (Israel), would be targeted."

The fiery speech was in response to statements given earlier by US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Wednesday while speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem where he was meeting with Israeli officials, Bolton said, "Every time that Iran has brought missiles or other threatening weapons into Syria in recent months Israel has struck those targets," and added, "I think that's a legitimate act of self-defense on the part of Israel."