MNA � Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, the commander of the IRGC's Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, urged the neighboring countries to avoid following the hostile policies of the US and the Israeli regime in the region, warning that the cost of war will not just be for the Iranian nation.

�We expect the neighboring countries to refrain from acting in accordance with US� and Israelis� interests, which are only meant to wage war and create tension in the region� because it would cost all people and harm the lives of everybody in the region,� Major General Rashid said on Wednesday.

The senior commander added that �we do not welcome any war in the region, because it is definitely for the benefit of the United States and the Zionist regime, but we are always ready to stand against any aggressor, and we will defeat them with the help of God.�

Reiterating that the Islamic Republic always believes in peaceful co-existence with its neighbors, General Rashid said, �we always strive for this goal, otherwise the US and the occupying regime will put the region through crises and unpredictable incidents.�

He added that the eight-year Iraq-Iraq war (1980-88) has shown that �if we do not strive to maintain enough power, we will be invaded; we will defend the interests of our people so that the life of our nation can be well protected.�