MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. Iran could greet American troops with "a bloodbath" if US President Donald Trump decides to launch a ground operation, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) Vice President Mikhail Margelov said in an interview with TASS.

"Iran’s traditional Shia culture places special respect on martyrs, so the Iranian could undoubtedly greet the US army with a bloodbath. The worship of martyrs, which is part of both Persian and Shia cultures, cannot be ignored," he noted.

Asked about possible scenarios for a US military invasion of Iran, the RIAC vice president said that "there can be a lot of scenarios."

"One thing I know for sure is that the strange war waged by the Board of Peace has the Iranian nation rallying around the flag. Society has been consolidated to a certain extent, and it’s now perfectly clear that part of the public has abandoned its protest sentiment," Margelov added.

Earlier, Trump did not rule out a ground operation against Iran. He said one option would be for US commandos to seize Iran's Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which hosts key oil processing facilities.