New Delhi, Jan. 22 -- US President Donald Trump defended his first year back in office and delivered a blunt warning to Iran marking the anniversary of his second-term inauguration.

Trump said he has already left "very firm instructions" for how the United States should respond if Iran attempts to assassinate him, warning of overwhelming retaliation.

"Anything ever happens, the whole country is going to get blown up," Trump told NewsNation. "I would absolutely hit them so hard. But I have very firm instructions."

The president said any such move by Tehran would trigger a response against the entire country, not just individuals involved.

"If Iran tries to do it, we wipe them off the face of this Earth," Trump said, underscoring that t...