Statements of the Supreme Leader at the 'Great Maneuver of Guardianship'

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

We give thanks to the Great God that once again the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its presence, has demonstrated the power of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic in the field of construction. The true power of a system is that it can demonstrate its skill and capability in the field of construction. During the eight-year Sacred Defense, the armed forces, despite all the plots and ill-wishes of the enemies, were able to apply the most complex methods of warfare with their presence; they showed the most difficult coordination and created the greatest epics, demonstrating the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of construction. In the liberation of Khorramshahr - which these days is adorned with the memory of this great and glorious event - the armed forces, with astonishing coordination, implemented the most complex military tactics. Various sections - ground, air, artillery, and air defense - were able to apply the most complex methods of warfare together, and the skilled, experienced, and well-trained individuals in the furnace of difficult tests in the Islamic Republic system proved that the human development of the Islamic Republic is a prominent, excellent, and superior example at the forefront of all its constructions. We give thanks to God that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been able to start and advance the construction of the country in various dimensions after the Sacred Defense period and to show its power to its friends and enemies.

In the years after the war until today, the Islamic Republic has passed tests in the field of national construction that are a source of wonder for observers. We give thanks to God that, by His grace, we were able to silence the mouths of the enemies with the massive volume and high quality of construction in this country - carried out by the children of this land - brighten the eyes of friends, and gladden the hearts of enthusiasts.

Firstly, above all constructions, is human construction; that is, the construction of humans, human organizations, and human structures, such as the armed forces. Secondly, if a country cannot demonstrate its power in the construction of the armed forces, its other constructions will be questioned and doubted. Because it is the armed forces that defend existence, quality, progress, and construction. The Islamic Republic, by the grace of the Lord, has also passed the best and most worthy tests in this field. From the beginning of the revolution - especially during the Sacred Defense period - the astonishing and magnificent reconstruction of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army; the amazing creation and establishment of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; the great, unparalleled or rare movement of creating a general popular mobilization and employing faithful forces and strong arms in various sections are among the miracles of the Islamic Republic system and demonstrate the power of the system. Today is another arena for the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran to demonstrate its construction of the Islamic Republic system in this great section once again with its presence, power, skill, solid organization, cooperation of the ground and air forces, and the use of complex and highly efficient tools and prudent commands.

The Great Maneuver of Guardianship is a revolutionary movement, a constructive movement, a hopeful movement, and an important and serious work in the direction of enhancing the quality of the armed forces of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic. It is an important and great work; and we hope its results will be great, fruitful, and lasting for the army and the armed forces.

The army of the Islamic Republic and all the armed forces in this sacred system are dedicated to defending values; dedicated to defending the territorial integrity and independence of the country, dedicated to defending this great nation, dedicated to defending, guarding, and protecting the great works that have been done in this country, the valuable constructions that have been and will be done, and in the future - by the grace of the Lord - will be done. The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran - as Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) wanted and wished and repeatedly expressed - is a people's and divine army. This is very important and valuable for the entire sacred system of the Islamic Republic.

Our defensive army and armed forces do not threaten anyone in this region or any nation or country in the world. The only one threatened by the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the aggressor. Anyone who intends to aggress will be slapped in the face. (I would like to ask the personnel standing at attention in the field to stand at ease and comfortably listen to what I am saying. Move from the state of 'attention' to 'at ease'. You have been standing under the sun for a while. Of course, you, thanks be to God, have more capability than this; but be at ease.) The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran is only a danger to the aggressor and anyone who intends to attack this country, this nation, and this system.

Today in our region, the danger that threatens the security of the region and the territorial integrity of the countries of the region and its neighbors is the danger of the occupying Zionist regime. The nations and governments of the region must feel and understand this truth with all their being. It is obvious that anyone who supports that aggressive, intrusive, and illegal regime shares in its crimes. Today, the Zionists and their supporters have become so audacious and have reached such a level of shamelessness that they roam around the world and campaign against the Islamic Republic! If the nations and governments of the region do not forget why and how the usurping Zionist regime came into existence, its audacity will not reach these levels; otherwise, the nations of the region face a great danger. The supporters of the Zionist regime will also share in any aggression and movement against the neighboring countries of the sacred land of Palestine.

The Islamic Republic - by the grace of the Lord - based on the independence it has achieved with the power and determination of its people and has been able to maintain with God's help, openly declares its positions. The independence of the Islamic Republic is the greatest divine blessing for this nation and country. Today, the arrogant power of America wants to negotiate over the independence of the Islamic Republic. In addition, it threatens the Islamic Republic with economic sanctions and blockade! The Islamic Republic has achieved its independence through struggle and will maintain it through struggle. This nation, in its past hundred-year history - before the establishment of the Islamic Republic - has felt the ominous effects of foreign domination in its country with all its being. Therefore, this independence is very valuable for the Iranian nation. There was a time in this country when foreigners did whatever they wanted and considered it their own. There was a time - not so long ago - when all the lands, deserts, and areas you see in the country were considered by the Americans as their own, and they invested in them to benefit, without the slightest respect for their owners - the Iranian nation.

The Islamic Republic came into existence through struggle. The Iranian nation was able to cut off the hands of the enemies through struggle and will maintain this independence through struggle. Economic sanctions and blockade by the United States of America and any other regime do not shake the Iranian nation; they do not terrify the Islamic Republic system and have no effect on the lives of our people. Our nation is an awake, alive, independent, and self-reliant nation. How can they scare such a nation with these threats?! Even if two or three times more sanctions are applied to the Iranian nation, this nation will not lose its independence. The Iranian nation is a brave, efficient, and powerful nation. It stands, builds, strives day by day, and makes itself more and more self-sufficient from others. This nation is not susceptible to threats.

If this nation wants to stand with power against threats, various sectors must continue the constructive movement, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Revolutionary Guard Corps must strengthen themselves day by day in various sections. A nation that cannot defend itself will embolden and audacious the enemy against itself. We must be able to defend ourselves so that the enemy feels that it cannot impose anything on this nation. Our nation is not one of those rootless, historyless nations without honors that they can say whatever they want to. This nation has deep and ancient roots and possesses one of the most brilliant histories and greatest cultures. Above all, it has faith and relies on and believes in God. Our nation benefits from God's guidance in war, in peace, in construction, and in political, economic, or military work. My dear ones! Listen to these points! Proceed with power - by the grace of the Lord. Increase your quality day by day and know: anyone who strives for the quality of the army or other armed forces has performed a revolutionary and good deed. Anyone who strives for the loss of quality in the army or other armed forces has worked in favor of the enemy and made it happy.

O Lord! We swear by the sanctity of the Quran, by the sanctity of the Prophet of Islam, and by the sanctity of Your guardian and proof, may our souls be sacrificed for him, to keep us steadfast on Your path.

O Lord! Make us among Your soldiers and veterans and among those who move and strive with strong will in Your path. Accept the efforts that the children of this land make in various sections - including those related to the armed forces - under the attention of Imam Mahdi, may our souls be sacrificed for him, and accept them Yourself.

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