In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I congratulate you dear young cadets on your graduation. From now on, you are officially considered members of the Islamic Republic's glorious Army. I also express my congratulations to the dear youth who received their epaulettes and who will continue their acquisition of knowledge in the military academy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The importance that I attach to the Armed Forces and the personnel who render services to the country is primarily due to the fact that the Armed Forces play the most important role in preserving the country's security. As the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said, armed forces act as a stronghold for their country, protect the territories of their people like strong ramparts, and preserve their security. In all human communities and for all nations, the importance of security is not comparable with any other thing. If a society is provided with security, it will be possible for the society to achieve knowledge, progress, justice, glory, and dignity in this world and the hereafter. In the absence of security, human achievements will be an impossibility. This is the primary reason for the great respect shown to the armed forces.
The second reason is that the armed forces have accepted to pay the price for doing their duty, which is not comparable with anything else. Members of the armed forces have laid down their lives for the sake of their responsibility. These people - serving the Army, the Revolutionary Guards, and other parts of the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces - have formed a system and laid down their lives to protect the country's security. That is something impressive. The reason our nation has never forgotten our dear martyrs is that they laid down their lives for the country. Materialistic people would not even give up their small ambitions, let alone lay down their lives. But righteous men, valorous people, and guardians of spiritual values are prepared to lay down their lives and step into this arena.
Dear valorous cadets of military academies of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, you are one of firmest foundations of this country. All nations have the right to make efforts in order to gain power. It is their duty. If nations do not achieve power, they will be trampled upon in global conflicts and power struggles. If a nation gets used to weakness and does not consider this a great flaw, it does not deserve glory. Global powers and autocratic and oppressive rulers of the world will have no mercy on such a nation. All nations have a duty to become powerful.
Of course the power of a nation is not just limited to the power of its armed forces. The power of a nation is a multifaceted reality. The armed forces stand at the frontline and are indicative of the dynamism and power of a nation. However, in order to preserve its power, the nation should also gain advanced knowledge and have strong morality, religious faith, and determination.
I will now stress the spiritual elements of powers. The most important element of spiritual power is religious faith - that is, believing in God and relying on Him. That is what prepares one to set out on difficult journeys. That is what makes one tread the path in a determined fashion. That is what makes the hardships appear small. Religious faith makes one set great goals for oneself. Genuine power will not be gained in the absence of religious faith.
Power does not result from advanced weaponry, money, political power, and means of propaganda. If money and advanced destructive weaponry could ensure genuine power for a country, the Zionist regime would not have suffered those humiliating defeats against the faithful youth of Lebanon in the 33-day war and against the death-defying people of Gaza in the 22-day war. If the material elements of power were sufficient, the US government would not have suffered those failures in its war against the defenseless people of Afghanistan and in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan. These examples are in front of our eyes. These are the crucial and valuable tests that verify the realities we know, the realities we have read or heard about.
When nations' hearts are enlightened by religious faith and clear goals, they will have enough determination, and they will not encroach on other people's lives. Attacking one's neighbors does not mean that one is powerful. Attacking a defenseless people is not power. A country is not said to be powerful when it sends its army to suppress a nation thousands of kilometers away in order to further its military, economic, and political goals on the other side of the world.
The materialistic powers that are based on such foundations and have imposed their political and economic agenda on other countries will be punished for their wrongdoing. They will collapse. Faithful but oppressed nations will have control over the future of the world if they tread the path with steely determination and good intentions. They will have control over a future in which there will be no invasion, no transgression, no terror race, and no arms race, a future built on justice.
My dear ones, as the young generation, you are the pioneers of moving towards such a world. Our youth in the Armed Forces and other organizations of this country are the pioneers of this movement. The Islamic Republic of Iran wants to convey this novel and clear message of peace and prosperity to the world of today and tomorrow. The future belongs to you. Work hard. With your strong determination and good intentions and by utilizing all your potentialities, you must build and expand a strong core of power in order to be the soldiers and pioneers of this movement in the true sense of the word.
By Allah's favor, today the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoy great significant advantages. You must increase these advantages on a daily basis. Take research, knowledge, and acquisition of knowledge seriously. Use your youth as an opportunity to realize the different talents that Allah the Exalted has bestowed on you. You should appreciate the opportunity to serve this nation, a nation that has lofty and clear ideals. It is a great honor to be at the frontline of defending and serving such a nation and government. Do not take this honor for granted.
Today even the enemies cannot deny the power of Iran. Even the enemies acknowledge it. Of course the enemies are aggressively screaming out the power of our country and our government with the intention of promoting their Iranophobia campaign. One part of their statements is right, and the other part is sheer lies. The part that shows the power of the Islamic Republic is right. Thirty years ago, when the Islamic Republic was established, we started from the scratch, and we managed to make great advances. We are not satisfied with the achievements we have made so far, but what we have achieved is not comparable to what we started with. I was in the Armed Forces since the first day. I have personally seen the entire capacity of the Army, the Ministry of Defense, our facilities, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and the Armed Forces. Thirty years ago, no one could imagine you dear youth would achieve this peak of progress one day.
You have achieved scientific power, military power, self-confidence, solidarity, and progress in different areas. That part of the enemies' statements is true. The wrong part of their statements is what they say to promote their Iranophobia campaign. This national power of the Islamic Republic is not a threat to any nation or any neighboring country. It is an opportunity. Yes, our power is a threat to the global bullies, domineering powers, and those who interfere in other nations' affairs. It is a threat to those who misused the great natural resources and manpower of this nation and trampled on its honor - those who still nurture thoughts of going back to those old days. But our power is not a threat to other nations.
Our war games are not a threat. Our missiles are not a threat. We build planes and warships. We encourage brave youth like you to enter the arena. But none of these pose any threat to other countries. These achievements show that a nation can thrive when it believes in its capabilities, relies on Allah, and fills its heart with faith. That is encouragement for other nations. World nations should know that if they want glory, they will not get it from America. They will not get this glory when they rely on global powers or when they purchase weapons from arms companies and beg them for weapons. They should know that glory can be achieved through national dynamism, national self-confidence, reliance on Allah, and progress.
Dear brave youth, you should appreciate this training course, your youth, this national glory and fame, this political grandeur, your nation, and your government. You should prepare yourselves for a better future and for conquering other arenas. The future belongs to you.
The Armed Forces are like a family, and I would like to emphatically call you to sympathy, solidarity, and unity. Thankfully, this solidarity and unity already exists today. The Army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Basij, and the Police are all members of this family, and you are all brothers. In particular, regarding the Navy, I should stress that it is considered a strategic force in our country as well as in many parts of the world. The Navy must be considered a strategic force. The southern coasts of the country, which are being controlled by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, are very important, and they have good capacities for progress. Pay more attention to those areas.
Continue navigation, which is thankfully more technologically advanced now than the past. Pay more attention to submarine advances. Pay attention to defense facilities of warships everywhere, especially in southern waters. Thankfully, the Navy enjoys good capacities and commanders. Today your efforts can result in various outcomes. Your efforts can bring about blossoming for yourselves, the Navy, the entire Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces. That is what we pray for. We rely on God, and we are certain that we will achieve what He determines for us.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings