TEHRAN – The former Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Danaeefar, has said that a war between Iran and the U.S. is unlikely, however, it is essential to monitor the enemies’ behavior.

“The U.S. knows that Iran can defend itself if a war is waged. So, it is unlikely that they seek a war,” he told IRNA in an interview published on Wednesday.

He added that war serves no one’s interests.

Tension has been increasing between Iran and the U.S. since the Pentagon has sent the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Persian Gulf and made military threats against Iran. 

The USS Arlington transports marines, amphibious vehicles, and rotary aircraft, as well as the Patriot missiles, are planned to join the carrier strike group.

“The acting secretary of defense has approved the movement of USS Arlington (LPD-24) and a Patriot battery to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) as part of the command’s original request for forces from earlier this week,” a Pentagon statement said on May 10.

Iranian officials and analysts have said the dispatch of carriers to the region are just a “psychological warfare” against Tehran.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out the possibility of war between the U.S. and Iran despite heightened tensions between the two sides.

Speaking at a large gathering of officials on May 14, the Leader said Washington knows that engaging in such a conflict would not be in its interest.

In an interview with CNN aired on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the U.S. is playing a “very very dangerous game” by increasing its military presence in the region.

“Iran is not interested in escalation. We have said very clearly that we will not be the party to begin escalation, but we will defend ourselves. Having all these military assets in a small waterway (Persian Gulf) is prone to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents.  We believe that the U.S. is playing a very very dangerous game,” he said.

The chief diplomat said all will suffer if a war breaks out between Iran and the United States.

“There will be painful consequences for everybody. There is an escalation against Iran. That’s for sure. The U.S. is engaged in an economic warfare against Iran. It has to stop. Economic war means targeting the Iranian people. That has to stop. The U.S. does not have the legal position, does not have the moral position, does not have the political position and does not have the international position to impose economic war on Iran,” he said.

NA/PA