Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution after visiting the military initiatives and achievements of the Air Force of the IRGC

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful I express my gratitude and appreciation to the Almighty God for your presence, dear and faithful youth. One of the most valuable assets of any country is its faithful, motivated, and efficient individuals. Today, by the grace of God, we are among a group of such individuals. I honor all of you, dear youth, the officials of the Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and all the personnel of this force, and I thank you for your efforts. Thanks be to God, the Air Force of the IRGC has transformed over the years into a commendable entity. They have created good readiness, gathered capable forces, and accomplished valuable tasks. This is part of our nation's force that manifests itself in the field of air power. To defend lofty ideals, every nation needs to strengthen itself. Of course, the definition of power from the perspective of religion and spirituality is very different from the definition of power in materialistic logic. Materialistic logic sees power in tools and means; in atoms, in chemical weapons, in biological weapons, in various advanced material means. None of these are true power. A significant part of power lies in the existence of individuals who wish to utilize that power. When a group has legitimacy and strives for truth, lofty ideals, and values, and is ready to employ all its existence, resources, and capabilities for this struggle, true power resides there. A group that strives for truth and legitimate values does not use power in a predatory manner; it does not oppress, does not engage in global arrogance, does not humiliate others, does not invade the lands of others, does not seize the nations' rights and resources, and does not claim them as its own. This is the ethics of spiritual power. Material power has no sense of ethics and is unaware of it. Material powers are not employed for truth and legitimate values. The logic of material power holders is the logic of the jungle. Because they possess material power, they consider truth to belong to themselves, which is incorrect; this is a false equation. Today, observe how American global arrogance - which the Islamic Revolution has stamped with a mark of nullity from the very beginning on the forehead of that false government, and whose face has become clear in the world today - operates in the global arena. What it does not contemplate is the rights of individuals and nations, human ethics, and the observance of the rights of the oppressed in the world. What matters most to it is securing its own arrogant interests. When material power is employed in this direction, it has a certain momentum; however, there is no hope for ultimate success and salvation for it. When power is imbued with divine meaning, it utilizes material resources backed by spiritual support in such a way that human rights are not violated; there is no transgression or encroachment on anyone's rights; it stands on the side of truth and strives for it, and ultimate victory belongs to it. This meaning of power, whose main element is the will of the people and the government to defend lofty and sublime values, has proven itself well over the past twenty-four years. Material powers have not been able to resist the spiritual authority of truth in Iran, in Lebanon, in Palestine, and in every place where the power of truth has entered the arena, and they have not been able to bring it to its knees or remove it from the field with their heavy volume. This truth has always been, is, and will continue to be. The Americans in Iraq faced a material power of their own kind, and much weaker than themselves, when confronting Saddam's regime. Therefore, they advanced and succeeded; however, today, after seemingly achieving military victory, they feel weakness, defeat, and retreat in the face of the will and desire of the Iraqi people. What stands against the occupiers in Iraq today is not a military force or advanced equipment; rather, it is a profound popular will; a people who do not want to see the occupier dominating them and their vital resources in their own homes; they do not want to see their Islamic and national identity humiliated by the occupiers. This is what creates a legitimate power, and if it remains in the arena and the will to resist remains in the hearts of people, no power can withstand it. Palestine and Lebanon are other examples. The Islamic Republic defends the ideals of truth, human rights, the national and Islamic identity of its people, and the dignity of a nation that deserves dignity, and it does not retreat in the face of oppression. The Islamic Republic has stated from the beginning and has proven that it does not retreat in the face of bullying, tyranny, imposition, pressure, and the arrogant expectations of the global arrogant powers, and it does not abandon its lofty ideals. This is a correct, humane, legitimate logic based on spiritual power. The Iranian nation has demonstrated this spiritual power over the past twenty-four years. During the imposed war, the armed forces and these faithful young guards showed this power. It cannot be said that the miracles of Faw and Shalamcheh were achieved through firepower and military tools; they were achieved through martyrdom-seeking, resolute determination, human willpower, reliance on God, faith, and the combination of these with the resources available to the combatants. Today, the Iranian nation and the armed forces - the army, the IRGC, and the Basij - are ready to employ their material forces and resources, backed by this spiritual power, this faith, and this will, wherever necessary and against any enemy that intends to attack and encroach upon the Islamic Republic system. Victory belongs to such spiritual power and authority. Our dear youth in the Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with the very sensitive role that this force has taken on in the new confrontations of the world, must enhance their readiness even more. Today, thanks be to God, signs of readiness are visible in both the outward and inward aspects of this force, and I know this from my information and reports; however, the path for effort and the continuation of activity is always open; both in the spiritual direction and in strengthening ideals and motivation, and in the direction of material readiness. You must employ all your efforts, creativity, knowledge, expertise, faith, purity, and spirituality to fulfill your historical role, which is determinant for the world - not just for Islamic Iran. We swear by the pure blood of the martyrs and by the rights of His chosen saints that may the Almighty God keep us steadfast on the path of these martyrs and grant us the blessed end of the martyrs. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.