Statements at the Joint Graduation Ceremony of Students from Military Universities

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family, especially the Awaited One among the inhabitants of the earth.

Peace be upon Hussein, and upon Ali ibn Hussein, and upon the children of Hussein, and upon the companions of Hussein who sacrificed their lives for Hussein (peace be upon him).

This ceremony is held while the fragrance of Arbaeen (the fortieth day after Ashura) still caresses the hearts and souls of the awakened. We hope that all of us will be educated in the school of Hussein, and I hope that you young people will achieve ranks in the Hussein university, just as you have, thanks be to God, achieved ranks in your military universities. I congratulate all the graduates of the military universities who today enter the operational cycle of the armed forces, and also all the young people who are taking their first step towards entering the Islamic Republic's armed forces.

I also congratulate the Iranian nation for having faithful, righteous, brave young people with determination and insight, and for having commanders who train them in this manner and in this direction.

My dear ones! The honor of our armed forces is that they are a strong fortress for our dear country and for the nation. As Amir al-Mu'minin (the Commander of the Faithful) said, "The soldiers, by God's permission, are the fortresses of the people." This has truly been realized in our country, and today the organizations of the armed forces - the Army, the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), the Law Enforcement Force, and the Basij - are, in the true sense of the word, a defensive shield against the hard threats of external and internal enemies.

Serving in such a nation is an honor. You who wear the uniform of the armed forces - belonging to any of the organizations and forces - are indeed honored to have prepared yourselves to defend the Iranian nation, to defend the Islamic, national, and revolutionary identity of this country, and to defend the security of this country.

Security is the most important issue that must be considered in relation to the armed forces. The security of a country is the fundamental infrastructure for all activities aimed at progress in this country. The infrastructure for all economic activities, scientific activities, health and hygiene activities, political activities, and all types of services provided to the country and the people is security. If security does not exist in a country, disruptions will occur in all these necessary and essential advancements and activities. Therefore, the armed forces are honored to provide this fundamental infrastructure with their determination, will, and lives; keep this in mind. Every step you take is towards this great goal, and this work is pleasing to God and satisfying to the divine authorities.

An important point regarding security is that the security of the country must not be in the hands of foreigners; this is a significant matter. Today, it is a normal matter for our people and our country that the security of the country is in the hands of our own armed forces and the children of this country, but this is not the case everywhere in the world; even in advanced countries. You have observed in the recent disputes between Europe and America that the Europeans announced that America has stabbed them in the back; the discussion is that Europe needs to secure its own security with its own force - that is, disregarding NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), whose main pen is America - meaning that even advanced European countries feel a deficiency when their security is in the hands of or related to a foreign force - even if that foreign force does not appear to be an enemy, meaning that apparently everyone is in the same group - yet they still feel a lack; and indeed they do have a lack; now, as for less advanced countries whose armies are under the control of American armed forces and the like, that is another matter. That a country can secure its security with its own powerful and capable forces is a great honor. And those who, with the delusion of relying on others, think that they can secure their own security should know that they will soon face the consequences of this.

One of the most tragic calamities for countries in the world is that foreigners interfere in their security matters and design their wars and peace and give them directives; this is a disastrous calamity for any country that finds itself in such a situation. And you have observed and we have stated that today even European countries that breathe under NATO's umbrella wish to move independently.

Thanks be to God, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic have proven in very difficult and significant tests that they can secure the country's security - both border security and internal security. An important and lasting example of this is the eight years of sacred defense, during which our armed forces were able to maintain the country's security with authority, pride, and dignity, expelling the occupying forces and inflicting damage upon them, and truly realizing "the fortresses of the people."

Well, what does the power of the armed forces mean? This is an important point; of course, the power of the armed forces depends on training, practical innovations, various scientific advancements, tools, and organizational discipline, and these are necessary in their own right, and certainly the armed forces need these things, like other organizations and more than other organizations, but there is a very important factor, which is the spirit and morale and religious and ethical integrity; this is a very important issue that has an extraordinary role in the power of the armed forces. If this factor does not exist in an army, no matter how much equipment and facilities they have, that army cannot claim to be a powerful army.

You have observed the American army, which is equipped with various conventional and unconventional equipment, entering our neighboring country Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government; they stayed in this country for twenty years, committing massacres, crimes, occupying, and promoting drugs, and destroying the limited infrastructure of this country; after twenty years, they handed the government back to the Taliban and left; meaning they came to overthrow the Taliban, stayed in this country for twenty years under these conditions, committed all these crimes, all these casualties, all these material and human costs, and in the end left the government in the hands of the Taliban and exited the country; this means that there is a fundamental and vital element missing in this army, and that is the spiritual element, the moral spirit, the attention to God Almighty and to spirituality; this is a lesson for all countries.

And we must also pay attention to the nature of the American army; the Hollywood images that countries like America and the like portray of their armies are not real; the reality of the army is exactly what you have observed; they came to Afghanistan like this and left like this; in other places, it is more or less the same. In other countries where the American army is present, if the rulers of those countries have not had the courage to expel them, they are still despised by the nations; in every country where they are, for example, in East Asian countries where you can see that the American army has been present for years, they are a despised entity in the eyes of those nations.

Well, we must pay attention to the fact that in our own region, the presence of foreign armies, including the American army, is a source of destruction and warmongering; everyone should strive to make their armies independent, relying on their nations and cooperating with the armies of neighboring countries and other regional armies; the welfare of this region lies in this. Do not allow and do not let foreign armies come from thousands of miles away under the pretext of [securing] their national interests - which have nothing to do with their nation - to interfere in these countries, to have a military presence, and to interfere in their armies. The armies of these nations in the region can manage this region; do not allow others to enter.

The events that are taking place in the northwest of our country, in some neighboring countries, are things that must be resolved with this logic. Of course, our country and our armed forces act rationally; in all matters, the method is rationality - power accompanied by rationality - and it is good for others to act rationally as well and not to let this region fall into problems. Those who dig a pit for their brothers will fall into it themselves: "Whoever digs a pit for his brother will fall into it."

I hope that God Almighty grants you all, the esteemed commanders of the armed forces and the commanders of various ranks, and ultimately you dear young people who have a significant and effective presence in the armed forces, the success to continue to serve this country, serve this system, serve the revolution, and serve these faithful and loyal people, and to increase your capabilities day by day.

Fortunately, our military universities are forward-looking; of course, they are not all at the same level; some are moving faster, more successfully, and better, while others need to strive and make their movements successful. The reports I have from the universities are generally encouraging reports, and as I mentioned at the beginning, the Iranian nation should be congratulated for having you faithful, determined, and brave young people. May God, God willing, keep you all safe and unite the dear martyrs with their saints and with the Prophet.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.