TEHRAN (Press TV) -- An advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution says it is natural for Iran to feel threatened, as it is surrounded by insecurity.

""It is only natural for Iran to feel threatened and organize military exercises,"" Major General Yahya Rahim-Safavi told Press TV on Tuesday.
The former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander was referring to the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and foreign military presence in the Persian Gulf.
Maj. Gen. Rahim-Safavi said the frequency of Iranian military maneuvers should not alarm neighboring countries, as they are lesser in number in comparison to military exercises carried out by supra-regional forces in the Middle East.
""We pose no threat to our neighbors. The military presence of certain Western countries in the region is the real cause for concern,"" he said.
Maj. Gen. Rahim-Safavi said unlike some regional states, namely the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which have spent billions of dollars on purchasing weapons from the U.S., Iran has not allocated extensive funds for this purpose.
The former IRGC commander added that a military pact between regional states is the only means of ensuring security in the Persian Gulf.
Maj. Gen. Rahim-Safavi's comments came as Iranian armed forces conducted a large-scale military exercise involving various aerial, naval and ground units in preparation for countering a possible attack on the country.