In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet and upon his pure household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth
Greetings be upon Hussain, upon Ali ibn al-Hussain, upon the children of Hussain and upon the companions of Hussain
Cooperation between Armed Forces Academies is a great opportunity
First of all, I wish to congratulate you dear, brave, experienced and young graduates in our Armed Forces academies and also the arrival of young cadets in military academies to prepare themselves for passing through these glorious stages. Moreover, I would like to thank the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the commanders in the Armed Forces academies for their brief and beneficial statements and reports. I also thank the master of ceremony for his eloquent speech. The organization of this ceremony at the same time and in the same place, during which all Armed Forces academies gather together, contains a good piece of news: the emergence of an opportunity for the Armed Forces academies to get close to one another, to benefit from each other’s experiences and to cooperate with and to help one another. Their relationship is certainly to their benefit. And this ceremony has been organized in the illustrious Imam Ali (as) Military Academy. I cannot forget that in the year 1359 – in the beginning of the imposed war – a number of students from this academy went to the front, to Ahwaz and Susangerd and engaged in fighting. They were still students, but they began their endeavor while they were still students.
Security is a truly noble value and a vital element for the country
My dear ones, one of the things that gives value to an endeavor is the goal behind it. If we want to evaluate things, we should see what goals exist behind them. If this idea is correct, which is certainly correct, then studying in military academies and in Armed Forces organizations is one of the loftiest and most valuable endeavors. Why? It is so because by studying in these universities, our youth enter the Armed Forces with the purpose of ensuring the security of the country and security is a noble and fundamental value for the country. It is a vital element because without it, all other important values of the country will be disrupted: values including welfare, justice, pursuit of knowledge and other such values. Therefore, presence in these universities is a very important opportunity and a very valuable task. Studying and graduating from these academies will prepare you for being engaged in one of the most valuable endeavors: that of ensuring the security of your country and your nation.
The services rendered by Armed Forces to the nation in different arenas
Of course, apart from ensuring security, the Armed Forces have other important duties one of the most important of which is rendering public services to the nation. The Army, the Guards Corps, the Police Force and Basij have rendered all kinds of services to the Iranian nation in previous years, particularly in recent years including infrastructural services and construction of dams, refineries and the like. In the arena of health and treatment, the Armed Forces have accomplished a great feat by working in the area of polio vaccines. Today too, when it comes to the issue of coronavirus, the Armed Forces are really in the middle of the arena and they are presenting all necessary services.
In the area of livelihood projects, many good tasks are being carried out by the Armed Forces. Of course, they do not announce and promote them in the media, but they are carrying out very satisfactory tasks which we are aware of. We could equally refer to their participation in the pious assistance and charity movement. On the issue of flood and earthquake incidents and other such natural calamities, the role of the Armed Forces is clear. In the flood that occurred in early 1398 and in the earthquake that took place before that, they really played a big role. Therefore, our Armed Forces are really honorable, noble and valuable. Everyone can feel this.
Defensive power, economic stability and cultural capability are three main elements of national power
My dear ones, defensive power is an element of national power. If we consider at least three main elements for our national power, one of them is economic strength and stability, which is very important, another is cultural capability and solidarity, which is fundamental, and the last is defensive power. Defensive power is vital to every country and every nation. If nations are deprived of this defensive power, then those who are after transgressing and taking advantage of nations and who wish to interfere in their affairs and plunder their resources – today, you can clearly see examples of these countries: the US and other such countries – will not leave them alone. If defensive power is absent in a country, others will not leave them alone and they will attack all their assets. Today, you are witness to the cases of stark transgression against countries.
Rational bases for calculating one’s power
The bases of power in the Islamic Republic are founded on reasonable bases. We do not pursue power on the basis of feelings, emotions, illusions and the like. The bases of nation power are founded on rational calculations: in other words, on correct and reasonable calculations. The size of defensive power, the width and length of the Armed Forces and the way responsibilities are divided in the Armed Forces and the selection of all defensive weapons are based on correct and reasonable calculations. They are based on logic. In order to employ logic for the sake of measuring our defensive power, we should see threats the way they are. Enemies conceal their threats in order to launch a surprise attack and sometimes, they magnify the size of threats in order to intimidate nations all over the world. The latter is done by most superpowers. They portray their threats and their powers with more glowing terms in order to force others into retreat. If you can see the real size of threats, if a nation, country, armed force and leaders and commanders in that armed force manage to see the correct measures of a threat, and if on the other hand, they see their true capacities, power and talents and they succeed in calculating them in the right way and then organize and deploy them – “Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power” [The Holy Quran, 8: 60] – and finally, if they manage to see the enemy’s real threats, then national interests will surely be ensured and national assets and identity will be preserved. If a nation has the defensive power to carry out such a calculation, then politicians and people in that country feel calm and tranquil and they will engage in carrying out the duties that are necessary in every country. Therefore, defensive power plays such a role.
The difference between carrying out correct calculations, and being afraid of the enemy and fleeing the arena
As I said, rationality means making the correct calculations. We should carry out correct calculations and have a healthy calculation system. This is what rationality means. However, when some people mention reason and rationality, they actually mean feeling afraid. When they say, “Be reasonable”, it means, “Be afraid and passive.” It means that we should run away in the face of the enemy. This should not be the case. Cowards do not have the right to speak of rationality. Being afraid, running away and evacuating the arena does not correspond to rationality, rather it corresponds to cowardice, fleeing and the like. Rationality means making the correct calculations. Of course, the enemy is trying to promote the wrong meaning of rationality and some people repeat the enemy’s words in an unconscious way.
When you see that they adopt certain measures and engage in propaganda efforts against our missile resources, our military organizations and our regional capabilities, which are very important for our defensive power – you witness that American prattlers and babbling thugs say whatever crosses their mind in a nonsensical and uncalculated manner: wherever they go, they speak against the Islamic Republic – this is because our fundamental resources have been achieved on the basis of thorough calculations. By Allah’s favor, these resources will move forward. The enemies’ propaganda result from their backwardness in this arena and from their fear. Therefore, the important point is that we preserve our calculation system, that we keep it healthy and that we prevent it from being disrupted. If our calculation system is disrupted, many of our resources will be gone and our good conditions will turn into bad conditions.
It is not only the Armed Forces, the defensive apparatus and our defensive power that should be based on rationality. If we wish tasks – on all important matters related to the management of affairs in the country: particularly in the Islamic Republic because Islam has placed great emphasis on rationality, reason and thinking - to move forward in the correct direction, we should act on the basis of rationality. We speak about combating oppression on the basis of rationality. Therefore, our pursuit of justice and our social activities should be based on rationality and correct calculations as well. We should not busy ourselves with peripheral matters and we should not confuse main and trivial matters.
Livelihood and economic problems are resolvable
Of course, I mentioned that one element of our national power is our defensive power, but another element consists of economic matters and economic stability and strength. The last element is cultural matters. When the issue of cultural invasion arose, we found the enemy perplexed as he entered the arena with the idea of confronting the slogan of fighting against cultural invasion. This means that the enemy feared that you might awaken and might understand that there is a cultural invasion. The same is true of economic matters. Of course, economic problems result from pressure. In the present time, we have certain economic and livelihood problems all of which are resolvable. I do not believe that officials in charge of economic matters are not working hard. This is not the case as many efforts are being made, some of which are good. Of course, there are shortcomings in the area of management capability. We acknowledge that in certain economic areas, management efficiency is poor. We have passed good bills, but they should be pursued. I said this here so that as well as our defensive power, which is one of our most important issues, economic matters receive due attention and so that we adopt a comprehensive outlook towards all these matters. Management in all areas should be strong, active and untiring. Whenever, we had managers with these qualities – tirelessness, activeness and enthusiasm, we witnessed the progress of affairs and whenever such active and constant presence is lacking, we certainly face problems.
Focusing on production, preventing the constant devaluation of national currency and filling cracks
Regarding economic matters, I have been repeating in the past two, three years that the cure is concentration on boosting production, on preventing the constant devaluation of national currency and filling cracks. There are certain cracks which nullify the good tasks that are sometimes carried out in the country. These cracks consist of smuggling, unnecessary imports and some cases of financial corruption. These cracks prevent such good tasks from producing results. Officials should work day and night and pursue their work in a continuous manner. By Allah’s favor, this will change things.
Resistance in the face of America’s malicious sanctions
Of course, America’s malicious role should not be ignored. Its vicious sanctions are an act of crime in the true sense of the word. Of course, we show resistance, we stand up firm and we will turn his maximum pressure policy into maximum humiliation for the US, God willing. We will do this by Allah’s favor and we will make that country regret its decision, but they are committing a crime anyway. What they are doing is a criminal act. The US president expresses his joy at this policy saying that they have exerted maximum pressures, have imposed maximum sanctions and have disrupted Iran’s economy.
First of all, this is a crime. Only, scoundrels like you can feel proud of such crimes. This leaves no room for pride. You are committing crimes against a nation and you are proud of it! This is the first point. The second point is that you yourselves are in a dire situation. With trillions of dollars of deficits, with tens of millions of hungry and homeless people who live below the poverty line – this is according to their own figures – the US is not in a good economic situation. And their economic situation has worsened and their debts have piled up on a daily basis. This is the second point. And the third point is that despite the foolish desires of the prattling, despicable, treacherous and criminal US officials, we will overcome problems with the power of faith and national determination and we will improve our conditions, God willing.
Using sanctions to make the economy of the country resistant
We will use the very same sanctions to make our economy resistant. In other words, the sanctions will make our economy resistant and we will be able to create an economy of resistance in the true sense of the word.
I have said this many times and I wish to repeat it so that activists in different areas – both economic and non-economic – know that the cure for all problems exists inside the country. Many of our problems originate from outside the country, but the cure for them exists inside the country. No one should seek the cure for problems outside the country. We will not receive any good thing from outside the country. The cure exists in the country. The cure is domestic acumen and domestic endeavor. The cure lies in adopting the correct outlook and calculations towards the domestic and regional issues of the country and this should be done inside the country. We should do so by utilizing the power of wisdom and by benefiting from firm determination. It is quite possible to overcome problems, God willing, and the prattle and nonsensical words uttered by the thugs dominating the US nation should not occupy anyone’s mind.
Some recommendations to the Armed Forces: 1. Predicting and planning for new threats
Well, let us return to the subject of the Armed Forces. I wish to offer some recommendations. One recommendation is about the academies. One important task is that we should know that threats against countries – both against our country and against others – are constantly changing. What exists as a military threat today was not necessarily considered as a threat 20 years ago. New military threats are taking shape. This is because threats are constantly changing. Therefore, our military academies should plan for confronting new threats. This should be taken into account in the research conducted by academies. They should have plans for confronting the threats. Besides, they should be able to predict the new threats. For example, today there are cyberspace threats, but they did not use to exist like this 10 years ago and they might be transformed in a few years. Therefore, our intelligence experts should engage in predicting them by benefiting from collective thinking and from academic research. This should form an important part of our academies’ activities and academies should come up with important ideas in this regard.
2. The Sacred Defense experiences should turn into theories for teaching and doing research
The next point is that our Armed Forces have gained valuable experiences during and even after the Sacred Defense Era. Some of the military tactics employed during the Sacred Defense Era were really unprecedented in the world and many of our operations have guaranteed the existence of valuable experience. We can mention Thamin-ul Aemah (greetings be upon him), Fath-ul Mobin, Bayt-ul Muqaddas, Khaybar, Walfajr-8, Karbala-5 and other such operations. Many extraordinary achievements were made in those victorious operations. Even in the operations in which we did not achieve victory – such as operations Karbala-4, Ramadan and the like – there are valuable experiences. Therefore, we should benefit from them.
Today, mentioning these experiences is common practice in our academies and this is very good, but it is not enough. These experiences should turn into theories. Experiences should turn into defensive theories and then be taught and researched. They should become up-to-date so that they conform to present-day needs and so that we can benefit from them, God willing. These are very valuable assets which should be developed and benefitted from.
3. The necessity to attend to youth’s moral education and spiritual matters
Another matter is about moral education. Of course, according to today’s reports and the reports delivered to me from various places, good tasks have been carried out in our academies in terms of religious, ideological and moral orientations, but I wish to focus on moral education above all. Our academies should pay more attention to this matter. We should polish our dear youth’s inner selves. The youth gathering together here are my dear children. They are the pure souls of our society. They are among our best people in our society. Therefore, we should provide the means to polish them as much as we can. Their spiritual deployment lies in piety, sincerity, courage, humility and commitment to one’s pledge and promise to the system, to Islam and to the Revolution. This constitutes their spiritual deployment and they are the most important elements in this regard. Of course, this is not particular to the youth in the Armed Forces. All young forces of the country and most importantly, the revolutionary forces of the country – the forces which consider themselves to be working on the path of the Revolution, religiousness and piety, as this is really the case – should pay attention to these commitments. It should not be the case that if a youth of ours undertakes a responsibility, he should try to pin his hopes on an important position and on gaining money and trifles. Youth should work in a sincere manner, as they did during the Sacred Defense Era. Those who made sacrifices during the Sacred Defense Era managed to make achievements with purity and spirit of self-sacrifice. And this has been the case ever since. Running after worldly trifles disrupts one’s work. If there are some individuals who do tasks with the purpose of achieving worldly goals, gaining financial rewards and winning worldly positions, then our affairs will not move forward. It is with endeavor and purity that affairs will move forward.
The necessity to impose obligatory regulations in order to fight against coronavirus
The last point that I wish to raise is again about the coronavirus. In all my speeches, I feel obliged to bring up this matter. First of all, I wish to thank once again, the officials in the area of health and treatment including our dear nurses, dear physicians and other officials in charge. In the third wave, which is really dangerous, the number of infected cases and the victims is really painful when one looks at it. Therefore, we should thank these people because they are really sacrificing themselves and working hard.
What I want to say today is that regulations should become obligatory and imposed by the government. Of course, I have been saying this to the honorable officials, to the honorable President and to others since a long time ago. I said to them that regulations should become obligatory. In certain cases, some activities should be cancelled and some trips should be declared forbidden. As you witnessed, our dear pious and religious people accepted the decision to cancel the Arbaeen pilgrimage. When we asked them not to cross the borders, they accepted it. This is very important. On the issue of mourning occasions, the National Anti-Corona Headquarters imposed certain regulations and our pious and committed people carefully observed the regulations. This should be accelerated in various areas and it should become compulsory and obligatory. Some trips should be prevented. Sometimes, certain trips cause the disease to be spread in a fast and uncontrollable manner, which is a source of deep regret. Therefore, everyone should be exercise caution both in words and in action so that we can get rid of this disease, God willing, and so that the nation can feel at ease about the grave calamity that exists today.
I entrust all of you to God and I pray for all of you. I hope that Allah the Exalted will increase His blessings on all you, on officials, on the dear youth, on students and on graduates on a daily basis, God willing.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings
