In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Although Army Day in the Islamic Republic is not separate from the day of the people, thank God, the army is popular and at the service of people who are so indivisibly integrated and constitute one entity. Army Day is the day of the people. However, a day for the army has been declared for greater honor and praise of the valorous combatants. The honorable people of Iran declared 29 Farvardin as the felicitous day of the army, congratulating them on the occasion. This year by boundless gratitude to God almighty with the great victories the army and other armed forces have brought for the people of Iran and with the eternal honor they created in their victories, particularly the Fath al-Mubin for the Islamic countries, congratulations to them pour in more seriously and proudly. Long live the armed forces and the army and proud be the land of the Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him) who has such committed and selfless troops. In this imposed war and defense of what is right, the Iranian army and other armed forces demonstrated to the world that the mujahidin (strugglers) in the cause of Islam and our honored country enjoy an invisible and supernatural power superior to calculations of the tyrant palace dwellers, a power that cannot be measured by the blind-hearted ungodly people and atheistic criteria. With which measures and criteria can one analyze the Fath al-Mubin? With which equations can one evaluate the unequal battle? On one side stands the a satanic power equipped with all light and heavy weaponry and enjoying the unsparing support of superpowers and most of the regional governments, which supplied this side with all resources willingly, with all international propaganda horns backing it, and commanding all elements required for it to gain strength. The other side consisted of armed forces who were only created in post-revolution period, with an army that has been recently rescued from the hegemony of the American advisors and commanders of the tyrannical monarchy, and has undergone a change from an arrogant regime into an Islamic human one, and an Islamic Revolution Guards Corps along with Basij (volunteer forces) that emerged from the nation and were not so much familiar with weapons nor had they done military university courses or fully equipped with war instruments. All traces of weakness were visible in the latter. The only thing they enjoyed was faith in God and love of martyrdom in the cause of Islam. They treasured the spirit of selflessness. With meager war instruments, they crushed within one week the enormous satanic forces and an army equipped with orderly military array in thousands, forcing them to escape or surrender. Which intellectual analysts and thoughtful graduates from military universities can justify this miraculous victory? If the army and other armed forces did not enjoy divine spiritual assistance, how was this extraordinary victory achieved? There is a difference between the youth who spend the night in prayers and reciting the Qur'an and launch their attacks in remembrance of God and with the cry of Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest) and those who spend the night in sinful acts and begin the morning in a war against God. There is a difference between the bunkers in which the book of God, Nahj al-Balaqah and prayer books are found and the bunkers in which gambling objects, women and the like are found, as quoted by the victors. There is a difference between those who believe that in the war the Imam of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for him) is their commander and those who consider Saddam the super criminal and `Aflaqite as their commander. There is a difference between those who consider themselves as brothers-in-faith of the Muslim people of Iraq and never allow themselves to attack the cities and villages of their brothers and those who open fire day and night on our cities and villages, even the Arab-populated ones, massacring innocent children, women and old men, claiming that they are fighting for the Arabs. There is a difference between those who treat the war refugees taken captive during the battle like their brothers and those who treat the captives they have taken from Iran and most of them were `Arab people residing in villages or cities and were not involved in the war so cruelly. For fear of greater disgrace, they refuse letting their relatives meet them. Thank God, today we have an army which is shining in the world proudly and with firm stature. This year, the Iranian people celebrate Army Day with such pride that is unprecedented compared to previous years. The army has stood against the enemy so brilliantly that is unmatched in the history of its existence. It is hoped that they will bring honor more than the years before this year. Let me here make a few notes, although you may have already heeded them.
1- Do not be negligent of the divine unseen favors. All military and disciplinary and armed forces belonging to any organization should try to preserve these divine favors for themselves and for the nation. The way to preserve these favors is to fulfill their commitments and make their utmost sacrifice for Islam and the Islamic government before God Almighty. Be present in the scene to defend Islam and the country for the gratification of God Almighty and not for carnal passions. The victories should not make you feel arrogant and never forget the unseen assistance, as conceit and negligence will degenerate man and undoubtedly decrease military strength. Next to trust in God, rely on your own power which stems from Him.
2- You know that you achieved the victories as the result of the integration of all armed forces with a single plan and united thought. This integrity and unity should be preserved, as instability in this divine favor is the biggest factor responsible for your debility and, God forbid, defeat. If anyone or a group plans to sow discord, report it immediately to commanders so as to prevent it. All the armed forces in the Islamic Republic struggle for a specified purpose and aim and all should act as a single hand against their opponents and enemies of Islam and the Islamic Republic. Know that as long as this unity and solidarity and this supreme Islamic goal exist, your country will not suffer harm.
I advice the army brothers, revolutionary guards, gendarmerie, police, Basij (volunteer forces) to consider themselves as brothers-in-faith as the Holy Qur'an has instructed and act in frontlines and behind the fronts unison, in which case you can enjoy divine and spiritual unseen forces and overcome all problems. God willing, you will be victorious. May God protect you!
3- Among the important issues which all armed forces should follow and which should in no way be neglected and which I have already underlined is that none of the armed forces, be they senior or junior, should join any party and group under any title, even though this party or group may be completely Islamic and loyal to the Islamic Republic. Anyone affiliated to any party or group should quit the army, the revolutionary guards corps and other disciplinary and military and armed forces. Commanders are obliged to notify anyone who is affiliated to any political or religious party or group to abandon that party or group or organization. If he disobeys, he should be dismissed from the army or other armed forces. All are obliged to introduce such persons to commanders. You should note that the engagement of armed forces in parties and groups and organizations will shake the pillars of the armed forces and any negligence is liable to prosecution.
4- We all know that Iran's army and other armed forces benefit from the nation's unsparing support across the country- something that is unprecedented. I do not imagine that anyone can claim that a nation except the honorable people of Iran, the young and old, women and men across the country so firmly support their armed forces and outpace each other in sacrifice and martyrdom, fervently volunteering for joining the warfronts. I also do not imagine that any measure except faith and selflessness in the cause of God and spiritual goal can unravel this riddle. I advice the dear army and other dear ones to value this divine blessing and to endeavor with all their might to preserve this great support and the nation's public presence in the scene. The way to achieve it is to keep up resistance and perseverance for the goal and making sacrifices for the dear Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic. As long as you are present in the scene with full unity and solidarity to protect your country, Islam and the Islamic Republic, never fear the plots of the enemies of Islam to overthrow the Islamic Republic. Stand like an iron dam against them and proudly attack the criminal aggressors and crush them. The great nation supports you with one voice and mind and the favor of God Almighty and the rays of His eternal power are with you. I wish you to be victorious and proceed powerfully and drive out the enemies of God from your country and curtail the hands of domestic and foreign criminals and seek assistance from God.
5- The selfless people of Iran have lost many dear ones in the warfronts and sustained many pains and sufferings and experienced many fraudulences hatched by our sworn enemies and criminal and treacherous and opportunist pseudo-friends. In exchange, however, they have been proud and honored in the presence of God almighty; they are an example and model for the people of the world and proud and rewarded before future generations. I beseech God Almighty to grant eternal happiness to the nation, resistance and perseverance to the combatants at and behind the front lines, mercy and absolution to the honorable martyrs from the beginning of the movement to the present time and henceforth, good health and prosperity to the wounded ones of the war, patience and vigor to the survivors and the oppressed ones, bravery, sincerity and magnanimity to the army and other armed forces, survival and perpetuation to the Islamic Republic and prudence, tact to administrators, enlightenment and equity to the ignorant and unprejudiced opponents, misery and adversity to the prejudiced enemies, solidarity and unity to the Muslims of the world, independence and dignity to Islamic countries, abandonment of selfishness and refusal to follow aliens to rule Islamic countries, understanding of dear Islam to all and might and splendor to Islam.
O God! Make the army and other combatants of Islam victorious over global blasphemy however powerful they might be and grant us sincerity and success to serve You.
Greetings to the honored army men and salutations to the revolutionary guard corps and other armed forces!
Ruhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini