The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, attended the graduation and oath-taking ceremony at Imam Hussein (greetings be upon him) University on Saturday, November 25.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran was played when the Leader entered the parade ground. Then, Ayatollah Khamenei paid homage to the honorable martyrs of the Sacred Defense in front of the Martyrs Memorial.
Afterwards, the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces reviewed the military units present on the parade ground.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ayatollah Khamenei elaborated on the difference between military service from an Islamic viewpoint and the militarism that forms the cornerstone of material schools of thought. He stated that the armed forces in the Islamic Republic of Iran are in the vanguard of the national force to promote justice and defend the nation's rights, preserve national security and protect the Islamic and revolutionary values.
"Under the Islamic system, the armed forces act in line with Islamic values and principles and are always prepared to defend the nation and the country and ensure security and peace of mind for the people. Therefore, from the Islamic viewpoint, serving in the military is a cause of pride and honor for every Muslim serviceman," the Leader told the audience.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces further stated, "A Muslim serviceman is the one who is ready to make every sacrifice and even sacrifice his life for the sake of the noble Islamic objectives. Therefore, no comparison should be made between Islamic servicemen and the violent and irrational servicemen of the United States or the Zionist regime or other hegemonic powers."
Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed out that those wielding wealth and power in the world and the global powerbrokers try to promote their interests through militaristic policies.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic described the main feature of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as its foundation based on revolutionary principles. He added that in the post-Sacred Defense era, the IRGC is still in need of dedicated and determined servicemen so as to be able to defend the nation in conformity with revolutionary values.
Emphasizing the need for the Iranian armed forces to boost their ties with and reliance on Almighty Allah and also to raise the level of their training and preparedness, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the Iranian armed forces, including the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, are the manifestation of the power, will and determination of the Iranian nation. He added that the armed forces' preparedness will discourage and deter the enemies of the Iranian nation.
The Chief Commander of the IRGC Major General Rahim Safavi, also speaking at the ceremony, presented a report about the recruitment, training, organization and assessment of the human resources at various echelons of the IRGC.
Further during the ceremony, a number of war-disabled veterans, former prisoners of war, families of honorable martyrs and exemplary cadets and military instructors of Imam Hussein (greetings be upon him) University received awards from the Leader of the Islamic Republic. Also, the graduates of the first batch of cadets received their epaulets from Ayatollah Khamenei.
At the end of the ceremony, the military units present on the parade ground marched past the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.