TEHRAN - General Esmail Kowsari, an advisor to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps chief, told the Tehran Times that the U.S. administration seeks to cook up stories against Iran ahead of U.S. presidential elections but they will fail.

“They absolutely seek to cook up a scenario against Iran, and they will absolutely fail. Because their allegations are unfounded and baseless. And the U.S. does not dare to take actions against Iran in this stage,” the general said in response to question from the Tehran Times on allegations that Iran is weighing a plot to kill the American ambassador to South Africa. “This plot will absolutely and certainly be foiled.”

The top general added, “As the late Imam Khomeini said the U.S. is the great Satan, and the great Satan always seeks to swindle the people. Trump is one of the great devils. His Administration has pressured countries such as the Emirates and Bahrain into establishing relations with the occupying regime of Israel to question the [cause] of Palestine. He is doing so to win the presidential election. With respect to this issue [Trump’s threat against Iran], Trump is seeking a similar goal,” said General Kowsari, adding, “Trump and his cohorts want to create certain circumstances to boost Trump’s reelection chances.”

In a tweet on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran after Politico published a report accusing Iran of weighing a plot to kill Lana Marks, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, in retaliation for the assassination of IRGC’s Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. 

Referring to press reports about Iran’s alleged plot to retaliate for the assassination of General Soleimani, Trump Tweeted, “Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!”

Iran firmly rejected the Politico report, calling it “custom-made, ill-intentioned, and purposeful.”

“This kind of unfounded and baseless remarks is part of the Trump administration’s disinformation campaign against Iran,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said in a statement on Tuesday.