Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Personnel of the Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

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

Thanks be to God, the Almighty has completed His blessing upon the IRGC - as a powerful arm of the Iranian nation. Just as at the beginning, the emergence of the IRGC was motivated by love and service accompanied by sincerity, and truly filled a great void, today one sees and feels that the IRGC is endowed with great spiritual blessings and divine guidance and assistance in continuing these valuable services and blessed presence.

Faith, motivation, and spirit alongside training, organization, order, and facilities are the two essential wings for an armed force. Today, thanks be to God, one observes that the IRGC is equipped with these two wings.

For an armed force, the most important issue is to possess expertise and readiness in combat and organizational and physical existence, both in terms of heart, determination, and faith, as well as in terms of body. Faith, motivation, and spirit alongside training, organization, order, and facilities are the two essential wings for an armed force. Today, thanks be to God, one observes that the IRGC is equipped with these two wings.

For a nation, one of the most fundamental issues is to have brave and capable men to defend it in times of crisis. Throughout human society, there have always been and will always be power-seeking and aggressive motivations. The conquests of greedy powers and their transgressions against nations and the oppressed have never ceased throughout history; today, as always, these issues exist. The nation and country that can stand against the greed of the greedy and the tyranny of the power-seekers and conquerors is one that has such brave men and youth.

Brave, armed, and faithful men in any country will succeed when they obtain their human and faithful resources from the hearts of the people and from within society. These characteristics are the most important features of an armed force; you must preserve and enhance them.

Today, as always in history, the powerful are willing to trample upon and disregard the interests of nations and humanity to preserve their own interests. What can prevent the greed of the greedy is not submission and surrender.

Today, as always in history, the powerful are willing to trample upon and disregard the interests of nations and humanity to preserve their own interests. What can prevent the greed of the greedy is not submission and surrender; remaining weak cannot deter those who feel unchecked power from aggression and transgression; one must be strong, one must have determination, one must be present, one must be prepared to assume the fundamental role of brave men in defending nations and to fulfill that role well. This is the duty of the armed forces today.

Today, the world has made great advancements in material tools - including military tools; however, the main point for every victory and defeat remains humanity.

Today, the world has made great advancements in material tools - including military tools; however, the main point for every victory and defeat remains humanity. Equipped tools come into play when they are guided by faithful hearts and steadfast wills and determinations. This is something that the superpowers lack. This is what invites all nations to preserve their iron will and determination and gives them the promise of victory; even victory over powers that are armed to the teeth. Weaknesses, mistakes, unpreparedness, and unwillingness to undertake great and difficult tasks and to endure hardships will weaken and humiliate a nation and bury its identity, history, culture, and future in the dust.

Today, the international tyrants deny the past and history of nations and entangle their future in a dark horizon; unless a nation is strong.

Today, the international tyrants deny the past and history of nations and entangle their future in a dark horizon; unless a nation is strong. Strength is not for aggression and transgression - this is the lesson of Islam and all the luminous decrees of the divine prophets - power is for defending the truth.

You commanders and elements and individuals and groups of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; whether in the ground forces - which today, thanks be to God, we have the opportunity to visit this center once again - or in other forces! Focus your efforts on preserving the identity of the IRGC - which is faith, determination, love, and sincerity. Just as until today the IRGC has been able to connect spiritual elements with the necessary and modern organizational and military elements and to provide the necessary order, good organization, advanced tools, maintenance, production, and training at various levels, it must continue this successful path. Everything we have enumerated will have very little effectiveness without those essential elements. Combine that love and faith and clear and conscious understanding with these organizations, combat readiness, intelligent maintenance of military tools, and readiness to employ them.

Always be prepared. It is possible that the Iranian nation and our dear country may not face any enemy aggression for many years; it is possible that enemies, looking at the Iranian nation and the readiness of our faithful and valiant youth, may never dare to approach the sanctity of this nation; but this should not lead to a decrease in preparedness; one must always be ready; the verses of the Quran have taught us this; "And prepare for them whatever you are able of power." Whatever a nation has in its capacity must be employed for readiness against the tyranny and aggression and humiliation that comes from the oppressive powers.

You faithful youth and faithful commanders and sincere and devoted elements, you have gathered in this proud assembly, whose short history of the revolution is filled with their sacrifices. Thousands of martyrs, commanders, and distinguished individuals have gathered in this assembly with love and faith. The legacy they have left is love, faith, determination, and success. They became martyrs, but your country remained free and independent; it repelled the aggressions of the enemies and the country advanced towards prosperity and power, and by the grace of the Lord, it will continue to advance.

We thank God Almighty that He has blessed the blood of our dear martyrs and it has not gone to waste. They were able, through their sacrifices, to bring glory to a nation and open the path for its future.

We hope that you will continue to be pioneers and leaders in the path of spiritual, material, and political empowerment and preservation of identity, and that your bodies and souls may be encompassed by divine mercy and blessings. We ask the Almighty God to include all of you in the pure supplications of the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

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