Statements of the Commander-in-Chief in Meeting with Army Commanders and Personnel on the Eve of Army Day

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

My dear ones, and the officials and high-ranking members of the proud army of the Islamic Republic of Iran; welcome. God willing, the twenty-ninth of Farvardin, which is considered a celebration for the army, will be blessed for you, the nation, and future generations, and we can all move forward in the direction that dear Islam, the great revolution, and the important responsibilities of this era have placed upon us, and fulfill our duties.

Essentially, a celebration means this; a day that is repeated and commemorated each year for a specific reason. The best celebrations are those that have substance, give us a message, and open a path before us. In this sense, Army Day is truly a celebration and reminds us of the responsibilities of the army, the future of the army, the great works of the army, the esteemed martyrs of the army, and the critical and important line of rebuilding the army, which today we all and you are obliged to pursue.

The army, without wanting to speak in exaggerated terms, is a very instructive and thought-provoking reality in our time. The army of the Islamic Republic is truly a new phenomenon. No one should think that today's army is a continuation of the past army. This collective identity and structure is a new construct built on a true renewal. This renewal has three pillars, and as far as you strive, show power and innovation, shine, and advance, there is room. These three pillars are: first, religion and ethics; second, independence; third, efficiency. See how vital and fundamental these three elements are for the army of the Islamic Republic, and if anyone pays attention to these elements, they will see that this army is a new army.

First, religion and ethics. The foundation of this human collective, as well as its organization, orientation, and interaction within and outside, must be based on religion and ethics. In the Islamic Republic system, being devoid of religion and ethics is a one hundred percent negative sign. Whoever has more religion and ethics is closer to the essence and truth of the Islamic Republic. Today, when we look at the army, we see that it has taken a significant share of religion and ethics, relationships and performance, religious faith, and respect for ethical principles, or has created it within itself and has worked and strived based on it.

Second, independence; meaning being for oneself, for one's country and people, and striving and moving. Is this not a new characteristic in our dear army? Can anyone deny this? An army that does not listen to others, does not look to others for signals, is not under the command of others, does not move for the interests of others; everything belongs to itself, belongs to its nation, belongs to its future, belongs to its country. An independent army means this.

Third, efficiency. The efficiency of the army was demonstrated. During the eight-year imposed war, the army showed that it is a strong pillar for defending the borders and the independence of the country. The martyrs of the army, the events of the imposed war, the presence of various army forces in the war arena - the air force in one way, the ground force in another, the navy in another - and their great role during this period in defending these borders, which I do not say any fair-minded person; even a person who has eyes and looks cannot deny this great role, is a witness to this point. Move and rebuild in these three directions. Whatever you want to do, keep these three main pillars in mind in your movement.

I confirm the two points that Major General Shahbazi mentioned. Both honoring the martyrs and the issue of asceticism and proper dealing with worldly adornments, which is a very important point and cannot be passed over with a few words. Take action to honor the martyrs. This is our duty and yours. Revive the names of the proud martyrs; those who sacrificed their dearest and most valuable asset. All living beings - whether human or non-human - their dearest asset is their life. In the case of humans, the matter is clearer than needing explanation. Despite this, a person takes this dear asset and places it in a center where this asset is endangered. If you have a valuable gem, you do not take it with you on a difficult journey. People, to defend the right, the truth, independence, to defend the dignity of the country, to defend the honor of the nation, to prevent the advancement of the enemy's desires, which has not left ambush against this nation for a moment, take the dearest assets, which is the life of the nation, to the battlefield. Of course, 'Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are those who wait.' Not all lose this asset; but all put this asset at risk; some go and some remain. It is very dear and very important. Those who have gone and lost their lives and in fact have made a great gain in this great transaction, keep them alive.

All the enmities of the enemies with you and the Iranian nation and the Islamic revolution are for these three valuable pillars that we mentioned; religion and ethics, independence, efficiency. They want to take away the religious and ethical principles and Islam - which is the main asset of the Iranian nation - from it. With the help of being separated from Islam, they also want to take away its independence. Then, when it becomes a third-rate, worthless, disabled nation and falls into their hands, they manipulate its efficiency as they wish. Wherever it benefits them, they use it; wherever it does not benefit them, they do not care and do not pay attention; something they have done with so-called third world nations - according to the terms of previous decades - or backward countries. The nation of such and such a country has no value at all for the apparatus of global arrogance and colonialism of that Western government, or wherever it has dominance. Its value is in how much it can use it for itself!

In these statements made by these truly miserable Western politicians in recent days - when one observes the situation of some of them, one's heart truly aches for the state and condition they are in - you saw that their recommendation to Islamic Iran is to come back to the international community! What does that mean? It means to abandon this cultural independence, this political independence, this thing that you have achieved with your own blood, with the blood of the best youth of this country, and saved yourself from following others. It means to abandon the rightful political positions that stem from your belief and faith and that you have chosen with your own understanding and with the observance of rational standards. It means in the important issue of Palestine, to abandon this free and courageous stance that you have and openly declare that we do not accept the presence of the usurping government in the land of Palestine. It means to be like some of these backward, miserable countries for whom the issue of Palestine is only meaningful within the framework of interests in relations with the West and has no other meaning for them, and whatever the Westerners have said about Palestine, they also repeat the same. Of course, they also pose; not that they explicitly state that we are followers. They also put a name on it; but they take the same positions. They say: You too, O people of Iran; O government of Iran, which for eighteen years with your steadfastness, have drawn the world's attention to yourself! Come and set aside all this existential value; be like such and such an African and Asian country and such and such a backward, miserable government that to preserve its position, is forced to give up its beliefs and visions and views on issues and repeat their words! After eighteen years that they have experienced the Iranian nation, the political unconsciousness of these gentlemen is such that they say such a thing to the Iranian nation!

See; the whole flow of the world is truly an experience for a wise and alert person. One must learn a lot from the current issues of the world. In my opinion, the Iranian nation in these days, took one of its sweetest and most beautiful lessons and was able to take it. In this very court that was formed in Germany for the coffeehouse issues, they came and patched up the issues and in their imagination staged a puppet show! This became a very good arena for the Iranian nation and a very important lesson to understand what global arrogance means and what the so-called independent and great governments of the world are doing. This is very important. Of course, regarding this issue, in these few days, the country's officials - in the government, in the parliament, in the foreign ministry - thanks be to God, each of them has said something in some way; they have also said good things and thanks be to God, the necessary words have been said everywhere; but it is a lesson.

Of course, you know that such cases are not a new experience for us, the Iranian nation, and have happened many times. They made noise, created a commotion, in their imagination united against the government of the Islamic Republic, sometimes withdrew their ambassadors and sometimes gave ultimatums. For us, these things are not new; but this recent event was a new experience for Europe. In my opinion, such a thing had not happened that the United States of America, with the intelligence and political brokerage of the Zionists, in two or three years of persistent effort, could do something that first put the German government, and then the European governments, in a predicament that they themselves were in no way willing to fall into. This was a new experience for them. In my opinion, for them to understand what the world is, it is also beneficial.

This issue has several sides. In my opinion, the least important part of the issue is the original issue. As we said, over the issue of a murder that once happened in a coffeehouse - the name of that coffeehouse also became famous in the world thanks to the brokerage of the Zionists; the 'Mykonos' coffeehouse. It doesn't matter, let it benefit too! - they made a puppet show in the name of a court and saw that they could use this issue. For this reason, they started designing and brought it to this point. They made a facade in the name of judicial work that in our opinion what was raised in this court is worthless and invalid. Those few poor young people who are imprisoned there, if they really have any charges against them, they should be retried in a competent and fair court and their verdict should be determined. This part of the issue is not even worth mentioning.

The main part of the issue is the motives and goals that the governments and world poles pursued. First and foremost, it is the United States of America that - as we said - with the help and brokerage and presence of the Zionist intelligence apparatus, has staged this puppet show. Surely ten or fifteen years later in their memoirs they will write that yes; in the Mykonos coffeehouse case, our so-and-so went and did this, did that, or saw so-and-so. These will be revealed later. Now, for the time being, even if someone says something, they stand firm and deny it; but eventually, a little later, the issue will become clear. You yourself may read these in the books and memoirs they will write.

America, in a wrong and unrealistic analysis - like most of the analyses it has about Iran - has imagined that the reason for the Islamic Republic's steadfastness against it and that it does not surrender and does not back down from its positions in the face of its coercive laws, its threats, its various messages sent through different channels, its soft and sweet language, and its language of insult and threat, is because of its backing by Europe! Their effort was to perhaps create a distance between Iran and Europe and in my opinion, they chose a weak and ineffective link in Europe, which is Germany. Germany, despite its economic and scientific strength and progress, is politically weak and is not present in major global issues - like the Middle East issue and others and issues that everyone knows about Germany - and is not among the first-rate European governments. It also had relatively strong bilateral relations with Iran in these few years. For this reason, they chose this government and tried to trap Germany in this issue and succeeded. In fact, the Americans, with the help of the Zionists, trapped the German government in this issue and put it in a predicament and in a corner.

Here, I tell all of you, the Iranian nation, that the mistake of the Americans is in this wrong analysis. They think that if they can separate Germany and Europe and such and such a group of governments from Iran in economic and other fields, they will be able to force the Iranian nation to surrender. What a mistake this is? Why do they show such dull understanding? I am surprised! Didn't you - Europe, America, the former Soviet Union, many of the reactionary countries of this region - unite and organize such a military war against us for eight years; but this nation stood firm? Why do you repeat experiences? What a false imagination is this? What a mistake is this? In the minds of these poor analysts who want to solve the world's issues with this sick mind, they assign a task for everything. How is this understanding of the issue?

Does the Iranian nation surrender with these words? Know that if all of Europe also distances itself from Iran, cuts ties, or whatever happens, the Iranian nation did not step into this field with the trust of Europe and Asia and this and that, to feel empty behind itself with their departure. The Iranian nation, in no condition, in no situation, with no quality, relies on anything other than its own firm step, its own popular presence, its own principles, and its own strong faith. Therefore, if they can separate all of Europe from Iran - which of course they will not be able to - if they create ten enemies like Europe around the world for Iran, this nation with this faith and with this firm step, will not take a step back in the face of the coercion of neither America nor any other government. So, this is the wrong interpretation and analysis of the Americans in this issue that became clear. Their role is also this.

Of course - as we said - the German government became a victim of this American-Zionist conspiracy; but this does not reduce the guilt of the German government; they themselves are to blame. The German government went through a very wrong experience. Don't you know the Iranian nation? Don't you know that this country is not a country of a government separate from the nation? This country is a country of a nation that has chosen a competent management set for itself and from among itself. They are united. Why should you make such a mistake in this issue? Why should you allow the Zionists to come and stage such a puppet show under your eyes and ears and insult the Iranian nation?

In my opinion, the German government has paid and will pay a heavy price. This is not a matter of a transaction with a government that is here today and gone tomorrow. In these few days, the officials of the German country have said various things: yes, we keep our economic relations with Iran, we will negotiate political issues one day. Their mistake is that they think the issue is limited to the relations of two governments. No; the Germans have lost something in this transaction that is not easily obtained and that is the trust of the Iranian nation and government. The Germans have lost this and the Iranian nation no longer has any trust or confidence - neither political confidence nor confidence in bilateral relations - in the German government. The Iranian nation has in fact lost trust in the Germans. This is very important.

If this issue had happened for the British in Iran, the British would not have lost anything; because the Iranian nation has never trusted the British. Even now, if you find anything bad in the country, any bad move and any ugly act you observe, they say this is the work of the British. The British, because of their long period of colonialism and because they have corrupted so much in Iran, are infamous here. Therefore, if it were the British, they would not have lost anything in this issue. Germany was not like this. The people and government of Iran had a kind of trust in the honesty of Germany. Of course, in my opinion, that was also due to a kind of naivety and should not have been done. That trust was not a correct trust; but now it has been proven. The Germans should know that today the Iranian nation no longer has any trust in their honesty.

The government, of course, will act in this regard with what is necessary for the wisdom and dignity of this nation and must act. What is in the interest of the nation, along with the dignity that is appropriate for this nation, must be pursued with attention and precision and no haste should be made. No need should be felt, which thanks be to God, it is not. We do not need anyone. This nation, a nation with sixty million human resources and with a very valuable reserve of experiences and assets - material assets, human assets, spiritual assets, and knowledge and experience. This nation has many things within itself. If we close all our gates, we will not fall. We have reached a relatively complete self-sufficiency in all aspects. If this nation, at some point, finds it expedient to close all doors, it can. Know that if such a day comes for the Iranian nation, it is a day of relief. Why? Because we have always shone when we felt we had to rely on ourselves. You saw that in the war, as soon as the doors of weapons and military equipment were closed to us, we turned to ourselves to provide for ourselves. These advances that we have today in military industries came about for this reason, otherwise, Iran could not even produce small light weapons. Today, Iran produces and can produce complex weapons. This came about thanks to these closed doors and severed ties. Thanks to this, the Iranian nation and the constructive and efficient forces felt that they had to turn to themselves. If one day this feeling arises in other aspects, it is our day of celebration. We have no worries about this.

They tried to perhaps force European countries and other countries dependent on Europe to participate in this meaningless show. Of course, European countries did not behave uniformly; some acted very badly. I have instructed the foreign ministry to accurately record the behavior of these governments. It must remain in the historical memory of this nation how such and such a government behaves; how such and such a party in such and such a country that runs the government today will behave with the Iranian nation on the day of their so-called test. This must be recorded and of course, it will be recorded accurately. Some acted well and wisely and according to their own interests. They understood those interests and acted; some did not.

Of course, we have no problem with European issues. We have designed the European policy ourselves; no one dictated it to us. We ourselves have determined where Europe is in relation to the world and how we should behave with Europe; we have behaved the same way and it has been so until today. Today, too, we design and advance what is necessary for wisdom, dignity, and expediency. We do not need anyone in the world to help us. We ourselves, by the grace of the Lord, have passed through very difficult passages from the first day of the revolution until now; these are nothing and are not at all comparable to what we have gone through. Therefore, in my opinion, the Iranian nation has gained the most benefit in this test.

The nation felt that the enemy is in ambush. This is very important. I always tell friends never to put a soft pillow under the heads of the determining elements of this country and say that there is no danger. Let everyone know and feel that the enemy is in ambush; as the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, said: 'Whoever sleeps, is not slept upon.' When you are asleep in your trench, do not think that the guard of the opposing trench is also asleep. No; he is aware of you and waiting for you to fall asleep. For the nation, falling asleep is the greatest enemy. Saadi in Gulistan, about those who were on top of a mountain and the enemy attacked and captured them, has said so sweetly and beautifully. He says the first enemy that attacked and captured them was 'sleep.' You should not fall asleep. If the nation falls asleep, they can do anything with it; destroy it and inject anything into it. You must be awake. The Iranian nation must be awake. This incident showed that the recommendation to awaken the Iranian nation is not an unfounded recommendation. You must be awake. You see how the enemy is awake and may use anything small against the Iranian nation at any time and inflict a blow in its imagination. Of course, the nation came to the scene; it was very good. The enemy fears this; from the presence of people in various scenes. This is the most shattering weapon that the Iranian nation has. This was one scene; but we also have the election scene later where the nation must again be present. This presence will also be truly and fairly shattering. The enemy is like this.

The last point is that you should know, dear ones, soldiers, my brothers and children! For an armed force and a military organization, the greatest honor is to be completely in step and in cooperation and in harmony with such a nation. Of course, organizations in their own sections must also be pioneers. You must be pioneers and your presence must be a military presence in a pious manner. We have said and now also believe that the armed forces, in times when there is no war, must help in the construction of the country. The armed force and the armed organization, in the first and second degree, must maintain their military aspect. In later degrees, if the high-level officials consider and see that it does not conflict with military work, activity should be done in this direction of military work. For example, suppose in the ground force, if we have a shortage of barracks or ammunition depots and training centers, they should go and build these. They should not wait for an architect from elsewhere and a builder from elsewhere to be brought. What we said is this. Also, know - of course, this is more the responsibility of the ideological, political gentlemen - that each and every individual and all personnel must be taught not to misuse government and public facilities. The gentlemen must teach this; both verbal teaching and practical teaching. Some should not go after luxurious and aristocratic behavior and such and such cars and such and such houses. If these matters are observed and this piety and this attention to the main goal is realized, then America is nothing; even if there are ten superpowers like America with hostile motives towards the Islamic Republic in the world, by the grace of the Lord, they cannot do anything.

God willing, may God be pleased with you and may the sacred heart of the Imam of the Age, may our souls be sacrificed for him, be pleased with you and may you be included in his prayers. God willing, may the pure soul of the late Imam and the sacred spirits of the dear martyrs be interested in you, pray for you, and be optimistic about you.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings