A senior military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Iran is after peace and security and will never start a war.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, having a powerful government and an administration emanating from the will of the nation is after peace and security on the basis of justice on regional and global scales,” Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said on Friday.

“Iran will never be the initiator of any war, but it enjoys incredible power to ward off potential aggressors and this power goes beyond the political borders of Iran,” Rahim Safavi stated, advising Washington and Tel Aviv to eschew thoughts of a military confrontation with Iran.

He described Iran as a regional power with international influence, mentioning establishment of elected governments in Afghanistan and Iraq as sign of the enemy’s failure to prevent the spread of the ideology of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

The military official stated that Iran respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors and seeks to expand economic and political ties with them.

He, however, advised certain countries to seek friendly relations with Iran rather than siding with the US and the Israeli regime.

In recent years, Iran has broken new grounds in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

Tehran has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.HK