TEHRAN -- Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, the top advisor to Supreme Leader on military affairs, warned the Iranian officials about over-simplistic views about the enemy.

The 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war has been a significant international event which has especially affected the Middle East security situation, he said in a memorial anniversary of the Sacred Defense Week in Sharif Univeristy.
The Iran-Iraq war was predictable, but the Iranian officials got surprised when the Baathists attacked, Safavi stated in response to a question about the predictability of war with Iraq in early 80’s.
“Our operational planning in Iran-Iraq war was beyond belief, Iraqis could never understand how we would deal with them,” Safavi said.
He added that Iran relied upon asymmetric war capabilities to resist the Iraqi invasion.
Analyzing the United States’ wars from 1940, it can be concluded that they do not afford more than a war per decade, he observed.
The top advisor to the Supreme Leader also noted that the U.S. political and military strategies have been failed in Iraq and added that according to this fact, they cannot begin a new war now.
Safavi emphasized the need to have an active diplomatic interaction with the international community.
“We need this (active diplomacy), and we need to use it, before, during, and after war,” he said