Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday took part in a commencement, swearing-in, and epaulette awarding ceremony for the cadets and graduates of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army’s military academies at Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering in Tehran.
During the ceremony, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized the necessity for the Iranian Armed Forces to acquire increasing readiness in “faith-related and ideological,” “scientific and technical,” as well as “organizational and disciplinary” fields.
Underlining the need for the personnel of the Iranian Armed Forces to transfer the valuable experiences of the era of the Sacred Defense [Iraq’s eight-year imposed war on Iran] to young forces, the Leader said, “Today, the Iranian nation is faced with a vast front of enemies due to its persistence in Islam, independence, [and] its lofty values and [also due to its firm] belief in the sovereignty of God’s religion, and the Armed Forces must always be ready to play their role if needed.
Describing young, faithful and efficient forces as the country’s great and real wealth and referring to the era of the Sacred Defense, Ayatollah Khamenei added, “The era of Sacred Defense was a tough test in which the essence of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army was revealed and the Army forces took prominent and brilliant measures.”
The Leader mentioned making young forces familiar with what happened in the era of the Sacred Defense and explaining conditions of that time to them as a necessary measure to be taken at the Armed Forces military academies, saying, “The eight-year Imposed War was, in fact, an international war and all-out aggression by big powers as well as their global and regional proxies against the Iranian nation’s borders, identity, [and] values, [and also against] the Islamic establishment, and the [Islamic] Revolution.”
Ayatollah Khamenei then emphasized that during the Imposed War, which was described by the Leader as “the Big Resurrection Day and the huge battle,” the great Iranian nation and its Armed Forces rose up for the cause of God through reliance on the power of faith and resistance and trust in God, and also through reliance on the leadership of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, and managed to triumph over all powers.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then addressed cadets of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army’s military academies, saying, “Your past generation was such a proud generation and you young people are now taking over their legacy.”
While lauding braveries and sacrifices and struggles of Iranian Army officers and commanders such as the likes of [General Ali] Sayyad [Shirazi, a former commander of Iranian Army’s Ground Forces] and [Major General Abbas] Babaei, the Leader noted, “Today, the entire world, including both friends and enemies, own up to grandeur, smartness, bravery and the might of the Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment both in their words and mind.”
While commending the commanders of the Iranian Army and commanders of the Army’s military academies, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “By God’s Grace and assistance, the country’s future will be much better and brighter than its present.”
At the beginning of the ceremony, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution paid a visit to the martyrs’ memorial, and while paying homage to honorable martyrs, prayed to the Almighty God to elevate their spiritual rank in the afterlife.”
Ayatollah Khamenei, in his capacity as commander in chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, then inspected military units present at the arena.
During the ceremony, an exemplar cleric, an exemplar war veteran, three commanders, two teachers and researchers and six exemplar graduates of military academies of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army were awarded their gifts by the Commander in Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces. Further in the ceremony, the Commander of Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering took delivery of the cadets’ degrees after which the representative of graduates and representative of cadets of Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering were awarded their ranks and epaulettes.
Swearing-in of new students, group singing of a ballad, and conducting field drills codenamed “Defenders of the Sanctuary of Velayat” were other items on the agenda of Wednesday ceremony.
During the ceremony, Major General Ataollah Salehi, commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, emphasized readiness of the Iranian Army, noting, “The revolutionary Army of the Iranian nation has good control over threats posed by the global arrogance led by America, and plots hatched by Britain and the Zionist regime [of Israel], and we are ready to answer and repel any form of the enemy’s aggression and threat far beyond [Iran's] border.”
Lieutenant General Mehdi Hadian, commander of Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering, also presented a report on the education course as well as specialized and scientific training and other curricular items considered for cadets and graduates of the Iranian Army’s military academies.
Later in the ceremony, military units present at the arena marched in front of the podium.