Statements of the Supreme Leader and Commander-in-Chief at Imam Ali Officers University

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

I congratulate all the dear graduates of the universities of the Islamic Republic Army and also all the dear youth who have received their epaulettes and joined the vast ranks of the Mojahedin of the Islamic Republic Army. For us, it is also a festive occasion, worthy of congratulations that this number of faithful, pure, radiant, educated, and knowledge-seeking youth are entering the vast body of the armed forces and the Islamic Republic Army. Truly, in every visit I have with you faithful youth, I thank God Almighty from the depths of my heart; we thank God. You should also express your gratitude to God for these great blessings.

The universities of the Islamic Republic Army are centers of knowledge and jihad. What one increasingly feels day by day is the fragrance of spirituality, piety, and faith that is sensed in these universities; this is a source of joy and happiness. A university that is active in scientific aspects; interested students, good professors, a commander who is himself a scientific figure; in addition to this, the atmosphere of faithful, jihadist readiness; military exercises and training in the warm air of the month of Ramadan in the months of Mordad and Tir; the fasting of a large number of students at the university throughout the weeks - one day a week and some more; this is the information I have - these are things that are unprecedented not only in our country and homeland but also in the Islamic world, among the armed forces. These are the creations of the lofty aspirations of a nation that has endeavored to raise the banner of faith, Islam, and piety. Armed forces that study, train, and strive for God, in the way of God, and for divine ideals, prepare themselves, and when the opportunity for jihad and defense arises, they enter the field with self-sacrifice, are the honor of Islam and Muslims, the honor of the country.

You are dear and honorable. Your honor comes from two aspects: one is that you are spending your precious youth in the way of knowledge, in the way of jihad, and with pure spirituality and faith; this is honor. "And to God belongs the honor and to His Messenger and to the believers"; honor belongs to God, the Prophet, and the believers. And you, in this manner, are included among the believers.

The second aspect is that you are a source of honor for your country and your nation. That country and that nation that can prove that it is ready for its independence, for preserving its identity, for its ideals, for its existence, stands firm and defends itself bravely, is honored. Even the enemies acknowledge the honor of that nation deep within themselves; although out of enmity, they may not express it verbally. Today, your honor - you who are the steadfast spearhead of national defense - is acknowledged even by your enemies; many express it verbally.

God Almighty says: "And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of tethered horses by which you may terrify the enemy of God." Your readiness terrifies the enemy; not terrified of your aggression - for you are not people of aggression - but terrified of your steadfastness, terrified of the thought of attacking you. In a world where, unfortunately, reliance on the power of the bayonet and weapons can determine relations among nations and countries, in a world where bullies with iron fists want to take the fate of nations into their hands - in the material world - that nation remains safe from harm which proves it is ready for defense. Our armed forces, our dear Islamic Republic Army, have proven this. This is honor; this is honor-creating for a country; this must be preserved. You must preserve all your material and spiritual assets; your piety, your faith, your motivation, your piety and chastity, and your firm resolve for defense throughout your service and in all your life.

We are not people who aggress against any nation or any country; we will never engage in bloody warfare - the Iranian nation has proven this - but we are a nation that will respond to any aggression, indeed any threat, with firmness and full power. We are not a nation that will sit and watch the material powers, which are rotting from within, threaten the steadfast and steel-like nation of Iran. We respond to threats with threats. Anyone who thinks of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran in their imagination must prepare themselves to receive firm blows and iron fists; from the powerful Iranian nation, from the armed forces; the Islamic Republic Army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the popular Basij, and behind all of them, the great nation of Iran. And let them know; let America know, let its puppets know, let its watchdog, the Zionist regime in this region, know; the response of the Iranian nation to any kind of aggression, any kind of attack, indeed any kind of threat, will be a response that will shatter and disintegrate them from within.

Keep yourselves prepared for the continuity of this national honor and international power. Everyone must be ready. Everyone must prepare themselves to preserve the enduring high values throughout history; in the fields of science, in the fields of work, in the fields of industry, in the fields of management and politics, and at the forefront, for national defense, the armed forces; the field of military combat.

We are confident that the solid structure of the Islamic Republic system and national unity and the closeness of hearts among all members of the nation is the greatest deterrent. Everyone is obliged to preserve this solid and strong structure and to strengthen it further.

I pray to God Almighty for each and every one of you dear youth, my dear children, and for your professors, for your commanders, for all those who have contributed to the emergence of this beautiful and magnificent phenomenon, for success, good outcomes, and honor and dignity.

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