Full Text of the Supreme Leader's Statements and Commander-in-Chief Meeting with Air Force Personnel

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

First of all, I welcome all of you dear ones who are serving in one of the most sensitive and important sections of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army and the overall systems of the country, and I congratulate you and each member of the Islamic Republic Air Force on these days, especially on the nineteenth of Bahman. I also pray for mercy and forgiveness for your martyrs who have been tested and have shone in the sky of our history, and I send my greetings upon them.

You have the right to commemorate today; because the incident that occurred on the nineteenth of Bahman in 1357 (1979) was not only an honor for the Air Force and the army, but it also brought pride to the Iranian nation, the revolution, and Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified). Perhaps today some of our youth cannot fully evaluate the significance of this movement in that very sensitive atmosphere and crucial moment, and perhaps even some of those who witnessed the incident have not contemplated its importance as it deserves; however, the incident was very significant and, like all important events, it was firstly based on the will and steel determination and deep faith of a group of people - who were the Air Force personnel - and secondly, it left its marks and signs throughout the history of the revolution.

Consider that eight years of war for a country is not a forgettable or minor event. Throughout these eight years, no critical voice or tempting mind could raise objections against the Air Force or criticize its work. Why? Because the Air Force was present in the forefront during this difficult, heroic, and bloody period. Throughout the war, the Air Force passed one of the best tests. This great phenomenon cannot be separated from the action of the nineteenth of Bahman. This is the same spirit; it shows itself in one place like that; it manifests itself during the war in this way; and at another time, in the period of reconstruction after the war and self-building and returning to oneself, it must show itself differently, which it does.

No one has a claim over the Islamic Republic of Iran's army. No one has extended a hand to the army towards the revolution, Islam, and the light of guidance. We are all indebted to the revolution and Islam. Islam has rights over all of us. The revolution has rights over all of us for bringing us out of the bitter era of captivity, dependency, lethargy, and the inability to express our talents and accept foreign domination, and for entering us into an era that, even if it has difficulties and hardships, is aimed at creating a better world and standing on our own feet. The army was one of the components of this nation that, with its own enthusiasm, on its own feet, willingly, with its own initiative, and by accepting risks, came towards the revolution, embraced the revolution, and became part of it, with the manifestation of that being on the nineteenth of Bahman 1357.

My dear ones! Having modern and advanced equipment provided by others to a country and an army, while the resources of that country and nation are plundered and those who own those resources are dominated, has no value. The value of an army and an air force is not that the most modern airplanes, built by others, known by others, repaired by others, and owned by others, are given to an army or an air force at a high price, while they consider themselves as the overlords and all-powerful and custodians of that army and air force. This holds no credibility for an army and an air force. The credibility of an army lies in its independence; in being connected to the interests of the nation; in standing on its own feet; in having the power to act against the enemy; in pride and dignity against foreigners.

An army whose leaders are forced to bow before foreigners is not a proud, dignified, and ambitious army. Today, many countries are ranked at the bottom of the list of armies in the world in terms of evaluating and assessing their army's position; yet their warehouses are full of many modern equipment! They took the people's money and gave it to them, and placed a few overlords above them; this is not a source of pride and has no value. The pride belongs to you; you who stand on your own feet; you who do not accept any foreigner over yourselves and within yourselves; you who strive to provide the best services with your own existence. Each of you, if this spirit of power, dignity, and self-reliance and honor is stronger within you, your value is higher and your benefit to the nation is greater.

Perhaps I have shared this memory with you once before that in the early days of the war, a military person came to me and brought a list that mentioned various types of our airplanes - both combat and transport - and it was specified that in a few days all of these types of airplanes would be grounded; for example, this type of airplane on the eighth day, this type on the tenth day, this type on the fifteenth day! He had given me this list to take to Imam, so that he would know what our inventory was. When I looked at that list, I saw that the latest time any of our airplanes would be grounded was in about twenty days; meaning we would have no airplanes that could take off from the ground in twenty days! It was my duty to take this list and show it to Imam. He looked at that paper and said: 'Do not pay attention; we can do it!' I returned and told the friends who were there: 'Imam says we can do it.' Those airplanes, thanks to you and your ability, are still flying; they are still ahead of many of the flying equipment in this region; they are still superior and better in confrontation with many who have modern equipment. Nearly twenty years have passed since that day. This is the miracle of human effort! This is the miracle of faith! They built them, repaired them, and worked with them; of course, considerable amounts were added to them in the end. What is important is the spirit and faith; the appreciation of what this revolution and this great movement has given us; that is, self-belief, independence, dignity, cutting ties with those who claim to be overlords over the entire world.

Initially, the powerful try to exert pressure so that a nation that has achieved independence with great effort and by giving many martyrs and astonishing resistance becomes regretful. There are hardships, there is pressure; but with this power of faith, we will pass through these rocky paths. You dear ones, by the grace of the Lord, will be able; this great and brave nation will be able to reach the peaks of great aspirations and, despite the enemy's wishes, achieve what the enemy does not want the Iranian nation to attain. My advice to you is to maintain this spirit within yourselves; the spirit of dignity, the spirit of independence, the spirit of relying on your own abilities, the spirit of self-sufficiency; self-sufficiency from all those who want to take away a significant part of our spirituality, dignity, faith, independence, personality, and human identity in exchange for what they provide materially. Dignity and self-sufficiency against these are the greatest assets. We must preserve this, and the Iranian nation has preserved it, and our dear army has preserved it. You in the Air Force have been and are one of the best manifestations of preserving this force and this state and this spirit, and you must continue to be. There are also hardships that must be endured to pass through. These decisive moments have a significant impact on the destiny of this nation, this country, and this history. Of course, divine help, grace, and mercy have been and will be upon you. They did not think that a nation whose army is alone and whose armed forces and warriors - including the army, the IRGC, the Basij, and the others who were present in the battlefield and the heroic struggle of this era - rely solely on their own power and trust in God, could defeat its enemy that received help from everywhere. They did not think; but this was accomplished by the blessing of faith. This will remain in the history of our nation; appreciate this. The Almighty God has granted this grace to all of us. If we maintain this faith, this spirit, and this reliance, divine mercy will continue for us.

We hope that the Almighty God will grant you success day by day so that you can, God willing, advance this proud and honorable force in the best possible way that can exist and serve as a model for others, and elevate it to greater perfection and development.