This morning, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met with scientists, officials, and specialists in the defence industry and emphasised the need for the innovative continuation of defence advancements. He described this year's February 11th (22nd Bahman) rally as a popular uprising and a grand national movement amidst the enemy's media bombardment. He said with heartfelt appreciation and gratitude toward the people, "The nation shouted its unity and, in the face of the enemy's repeated threats, demonstrated the identity, character, capability, and resilience of Iranians."
Prior to the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Commander-in-Chief, spent an hour visiting the 'Eqtedar 1403' exhibition, which showcased the latest achievements and capabilities of the country's defence industry scientists and specialists. The exhibition featured advanced equipment and new technologies in areas such as air defence, ballistic and cruise missiles, smart munitions, space, drones, aviation, naval vessels, and energy."
After visiting the exhibition, he addressed the gathering of scientists, officials, and specialists in the defence industry. Congratulating them on the auspicious anniversary of the birth of Imam Mahdi (aj), he considered the 15th of Sha'ban as truly a global and human celebration, saying, "The promise of justice, the hope for the establishment of justice, and the advent of the Savior have been eternal aspirations of humanity throughout history, and these aspirations will undoubtedly be realised."
He said that February 11th (22nd Bahman) was a tremendous and historic celebration for the Iranian nation and, while congratulating this transformative day, he added, "No other revolution in history has seen its people take to the streets and celebrate it 46 years after their revolution."
The Leader of the Revolution saw the presence of all segments of the nation: men, women, children, the elderly, and the youth, in the cold and freezing weather as a national and popular uprising. He said, "This year's commemoration was one of the most important and outstanding of the anniversaries of the Revolution."
The Leader of the Revolution said that the clear and insightful remarks the President made during the February 11th (22nd Bahman) commemoration were complementary to the great movement of the nation, adding, "The honourable President expressed the heartfelt sentiments of the people and what was needed to be said."
Ayatollah Khamenei recalled the relentless and insidious propaganda bombardment and the software war the enemy had been waging against the owners of the Revolution, the Iranian nation, and against the hero of February 11th, Imam Khomeini. He said, "In such circumstances, the nation, being timely and aware of the opportunity, took to the streets in all the cities and villages and voiced their messages and positions."
He praised the vibrant youth at the 22nd Bahman rally, saying, "I am deeply attached to the dear youth and hope, by divine grace, that God's mercy spreads over this nation and a better future awaits these wise, brave, and intelligent people."
Continuing his remarks, the Leader of the Revolution described the exhibition he had visited before this meeting as one of the best and most outstanding. With deep gratitude for the tireless efforts of each and every scientist, specialist, official, and employee of the defence industries, he added, "The nation should also be grateful to these capable sons and daughters of theirs."
He emphasised the importance of defending the nation and the country's security, saying, "Iran's defensive power is renowned today. The friends of the Revolution take pride in it, and the enemy fears it. This state of affairs is of great significance for a country."
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the era when global bullies refused to sell defensive equipment to Iran even at several times higher than the price. He said, "Now, those same bullies are telling Iran not to sell military equipment. Between that 'we won't sell' and this recent 'don't sell,' a vast gap has been filled, thanks to the efforts of scientists and the skilled minds of young specialists."
He described the remarkable advancements in defence as extraordinary, especially considering the continuous sanctions by enemies. He added, "The state of Iran's defence industry is such that if they deny us any component, our youth produce an even better version domestically."
In another part of his remarks, the Commander-in-Chief highlighted the necessity and requirements for the continued advancement of the defence industry. He said, "The progress in the defence industry has elevated our rank in global defensive power, but this does not mean we should stop or be content with the current situation. We started from scratch, and despite extensive efforts and achievements, we still lag behind the frontrunners in many areas."
He considered achieving the lead in military capabilities to be derived from the Quranic command, 'And prepare against them whatever you are able of power', meaning maximum and continuous readiness against the enemy. He said that this was essential for defending the country against adversaries. He added, "Progress must continue in all military sectors. For example, if at one point we had set a certain level of precision for missiles and now require increased precision, this must be achieved."
The Leader of the Revolution stressed that another requirement for the advancement of the defence industry was to focus on innovation and not halt at what was conventional. He said, "Creativity and innovation have no end. However, innovation does not merely mean the ability to build or complete the work of others; instead, it involves exploring uncharted territory and actualising undiscovered potentials in nature, just as the discovery of electricity, the internet, and artificial intelligence opened new doors of knowledge to the world."
He described real progress as dependent on innovation and the utilisation of young, faithful, revolutionary, knowledgeable, capable, and talented individuals. He said, "Faith gives human beings strength and ability and keeps them on the Straight Path. Being revolutionary also means believing in the profound political and social transformation that has been achieved in the country thanks to the Islamic Revolution."
In another recommendation, Ayatollah Khamenei urged universities and research centres of the armed forces to research to meet the country's defence needs. He said, "In some universities, professors focus on writing and publishing articles, with no attention given to how those articles address the country's needs. You must avoid this pitfall in the armed forces' research centres."
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics described the enthusiastic presence of the Iranian people in the February 11th (22nd Bahman) rally as a source of encouragement for the specialists and scientists in the country's defence sector.
Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh spoke about the research, design, and production of various advanced and amazing weapons. He also provided a report on the non-military achievements of the defence industries, the establishment of defence technology parks, and the scientific collaboration of the country's defence industry with other high-tech industries."