Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Commanders and Students of the Army's Ground Forces

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

Dear brothers and esteemed sisters; welcome. I hope that in this sacred and honorable path, you will always be successful and supported, God willing. This group, which is both military and academic, combines two high values of our society, namely the value of knowledge and jihad, and is one of the sweetest and most desirable parts of our armed forces. Today, for military personnel at any level, acquiring military knowledge and everything related to this knowledge is among the duties, and all our military educational courses possess real values. Of course, you who are part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have a unique advantage, which is that you have tested military knowledge in the field, and that too for a long period.

There is a difference between someone who reads something in a book and someone who tests what they have read in the field of action, or essentially learns in the field of action. The field of action is an extraordinary opportunity, and you have had it. Some of you may not have seen or experienced the war; however, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is full of battlefield experiences, and what knowledge is higher than this?!

I have said many times and I repeat again that the experience of war should be used to the maximum in military courses. Both to utilize the scientific aspect of war events, which is of course important, and to keep those glorious days alive. Those difficult hours that you experienced and tested the hardest moments of life should not be forgotten. Is it a joke that a nation endures an eight-year war with its armed forces; with all this honor and pride? In this war, who helped us and who did not help our enemy?! Is this a small thing?! I firmly believe that in the army and the Revolutionary Guard, all phenomena that attract attention should somehow point to those glorious days. In these anthems, even these anthems that are sung and played in these gatherings, which are very good and appreciated, instead of praising an individual, they should praise the multitude of people who passed glorious hours and raised the head of this country, this society, this history; the leadership apparatus and the country's administrative apparatus in the world.

I have traveled extensively across countries and have seen the impact of your sacrifices on the greatness of Iran, in creating a glorious image for the country of Iran and for the Iranian nation, in providing a correct image of this magnificent and glorious revolution, and in giving honor to Islam, which everyone knew was achieved through all these sacrifices for Islam. These are not small things. Preserve them.

Let no one imagine that the era of speaking about martyrs and selfless soldiers and the hardworking people of the battlefield has passed! This era never passes. Today, thanks be to God, the army is a glorious army. Know that from the day a military force was established in this country until today, at no point in our history have our armed forces been so connected to the people and striving for goals and ideals and sacrificing for the country and its borders. In recent periods, the army was just a name. A magnificent palace made of flashy cardboard. Where the field of action was, it was clear that it was hollow. Where there was appearance and scenery, of course, it was beautiful and flashy. Whether in these recent periods when treacherous leaders, dependent commanders, weak and humiliated spirits in front of foreigners ruled over it and painted the army, which was after all a part and piece of this nation, with their own name and color, or in previous periods when it was the same. The Iranian army started with the name 'Cossack' and 'Soldat'. With a foreign name. With foreign clothes. With foreign arrangements and foreign command. The Iranian army, when non-popular rulers governed this country, was a non-popular army. But today, by God's grace, the same army, the same individuals, the same Iranian Muslim elements, are organized in a great, glorious, popular collection and work for their belief, for their faith, for their homeland, and for their country. This is an honor.

If you look at the armies of the world, you will see what their usual course is. One scene is Somalia. See what the military does there! In the name of delivering bread, they have entered the home of a poor nation. But instead of bread, they feed them bullets! What reasonable argument does the American army have for confronting and facing the people of Somalia?! Does their conscience ever ask them, 'What is our reasonable argument in Somalia? Why do we humiliate and crush and hit these poor people with a false and empty slogan?' That army imagines itself to be an enlightened and freedom-loving army!

The memory of Vietnam has not yet faded. This is one example! Other examples of armies are the same. Where they should defend the right, there is the least sign of them. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where now in the black winter of that region, thousands of lives are at risk, there is no sign or existence of European and American armies and others. But in Somalia, yes. In Vietnam, yes. Where there is no news of human goals, they are present. Where there is news of human goals, they are not present. This is the state of the world's armies. In comparison to such armies, our army is dedicated to the truth.

Of course, I do not want to generalize and say the whole world. Surely, in corners of the world, military groups that are acceptable are found and exist. Or even in these groups, there may be individuals. However, I point out what is in front of our eyes on the world stage. Our army is dedicated to the truth: service for divine goals; for goals that if they are shared with any fair-minded person, they will be approved. For preserving the homeland and maintaining its independence. Our armed forces want the country not to fall into the hands of the enemy and for the dominators not to prevail over it. Is this a small thing?! Is this a small goal?! Is there a higher and more sacred goal than this?! This is the army. As much as you can, give quality to this army. You who have studied in various courses and this army has gained the right to teach you, devote all your existence and effort to the extent possible to improve the quality of this army. Of course, it has deficiencies; but these deficiencies must be addressed. For decades, efforts have been made to prevent this army from standing on its own feet in terms of equipment. Today, thanks be to God, self-sufficiency jihads and technical apparatuses are working. Continue this as much as you can. For years, efforts have been made to make the army dependent in terms of organization and military standards. You must counter this. Military knowledge must be learned from everyone. Knowledge must be learned from anyone and anywhere; but military dependency, no!

Look and see what the nature of this land is, the nature of this army, the nature of the work that is on your shoulders and the duty that is expected of you. According to that, organize and carry out your work. Thanks be to God, our army does all of this. Align military regulations with your own value principles. Convert any regulations that you see are incompatible with Islamic values into regulations that are compatible with Islamic values. This will strengthen you and advance you and increase your honor in the eyes of the people. Today, the country is in a period of constructive maturity. Always, periods of construction are difficult times for countries. Especially construction after those long destructions. In the recent past, there was the destruction of war. Before that, there was the destruction of the domination of foreigners and foreign-worshippers over this country. I think this destruction is more dangerous and more difficult to cure than the destruction of war. In any case, for a nation that wants to build the ruins and turn them into construction and reconstruction, it is a difficult task.

You see, after the Second World War, almost the whole world and the wealthy American government joined hands to rebuild Germany and France and the countries destroyed in the war. It took years for them to succeed.

We are not reliant on any government or any of the world's powers, whether political, economic, or military. This nation must build itself and must raise this structure with its own hands. Naturally, it is a difficult period. Everything in this difficult period must be done with more effort, with more enthusiasm, and with a clearer hope. The share of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in this effort is a large share.

Of course, I believe that this construction should first and foremost be done within this organization itself. Each of the military organizations must start construction from themselves. Of course, if they can also participate in the general construction of the country, there is no obstacle. Young people who have just joined the army and are graduates of military courses and those with less experience should consider this period they have ahead of them as a period of worldly and otherworldly honor from now on. Look at your service period with this view. Your work is military work. But when this military work is done with the right intention, it is an act of worship.

We hope that Almighty God will include you in His grace and mercy, and increase your successes day by day, and God willing, in the future, we will also witness your scientific, cultural, practical advancements, and innovations in various fields.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings