Message on the Third Day of the Blessed Decade of Fajr: Day of Sacrifice and Martyrdom

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

A heartfelt greeting and a salutation as gentle as the spirit of angels upon the pure souls of the martyrs who preferred the pleasure of God, the response to His chosen servant's call, and the defense of the Islamic homeland and the essence of Quranic governance over the fleeting pleasures of worldly life. They set forth with their lives in their hands, entered the field of struggle, and without hesitation, stepped into the paradise of martyrdom on the path of sacred jihad, achieving eternal happiness. Today, Iran's independence and honor are indebted to those struggles, and thus the memory of these dear ones must always be recorded as the pinnacle of all the Islamic Republic's honors. No nation or country has been able to free itself from the evil of foreign domination, the ugliest form of humiliation for a nation, without the struggle of its best children. Today, the struggle of the youth and the chosen ones is also necessary in other fields: the field of construction, the field of awareness of the enemy's plots, the field of striving for scientific and moral self-improvement, the field of instilling hope in the people and combating the demon of despair, the field of combating the propaganda of the arrogant enemies, the field of unity, cooperation, and national solidarity. The fathers, mothers, spouses, and other relatives of the dear martyrs also have a great reward, which is the reward for their patience and perseverance and the reward for accepting hardship in the path of God. Their efforts and struggles should also be directed towards preserving this great reward for themselves. It is hoped that the entire Iranian nation will truly appreciate the martyrs and their esteemed families and thereby attract God's pleasure and the support of His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings

Seyyed Ali Khamenei