AFP, Washington

Donald Trump said Wednesday Iran should be blown “to smithereens” if the Islamic Republic is involved in the harming of a US White House candidate or ex-president.

The provocative remarks come after US intelligence warned of threats from Tehran against the Republican’s life.

“As you know, there have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve -- but possibly do -- Iran,” Trump said at a campaign event in North Carolina.

“If I were the president, I would inform the threatening country, in this case Iran, that if you do anything to harm this person, we are going to blow your largest cities and the country itself to smithereens,” he added.

Trump went on to say he and the US have been “threatened very directly by Iran” and that a firm message needed to reach Tehran that there would be the most severe consequences should it be involved in plots to kill or hurt a US president or presidential candidate. “The best way to do it is through the office of the president, that (if) you do any attacks on former presidents or candidates for president, your country gets blown to smithereens, as we say.”