Leader stresses need to continue development of military capabilities

TABNAK, Apr. 18 - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei on the occasion of National Army Day, stresses the need for continuous development of military capabilities.

News ID: 7334

Date: 18 April 2026 - 16:47

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei issued a message on the occasion of the anniversary of the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army and the birthday anniversary of the martyred Leader.

What follows is the text of the Leader’s message:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

“Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as if they were a strong structure” (Quran 61:4).

The 29th of Farvardin (April 18th) is the auspicious anniversary of the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, which was named by the Great Imam Khomeini (RA) with his wise innovation. I congratulate everyone in the Army, their esteemed families, and the great nation of Iran on this occasion.

The victory of the Islamic Revolution can be considered to be a dividing line between two sections in the life of the Army. It should be seen as the end of a period of weakness what was imposed on the country’s courageous, truthful Army and soldiers by the enemies of this land and water and at the hands of traitors from inside the country.

From that time on, the Army stood in its rightful place. Instead of being under the control of the tyrannical, corrupt Pahlavi regime, it was in the warm embrace of the nation. Truly, the Army is like the nation’s child, which arises from within the heart of the people’s homes.

The Army was soon able to create an epic by confronting the sinister schemes of the US, the descendants of the Pahlavi tyrant, and the separatists who wished for a divided Iran. The Islamic Army is now courageously defending the land, water, and flag that belong to it, just as it did in the previous two imposed wars. With its strong support from God and the people, in compact, solid ranks, and standing side by side with their comrades from the other armed forces, it’s battling the two leading armies of disbelief and Arrogance. And the Islamic Army has exposed those armies’ weakness and humiliation to the world. In the same way that its drones strike the US and the Zionist murderers like lightning, its valiant navy is also ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies.

Furthermore, the 29th of Farvardin also marks the birthday of someone who was a unique person in our era. That is, our illustrious, martyred Leader. He was a person who exerted his utmost efforts to protect the Army against sinister calls for its dissolution from the very first decade of the Revolution. After that, he continued to work tirelessly to enhance the Army’s capabilities in various dimensions. Without a doubt, the upward trajectory in the increase of the diverse capabilities of this noble institution backed by the people, which safeguards the country from the east to the west and from the north to the south, must be continued with increased effort. God willing, the necessary directives for the realization of this will be issued in the near future.

On this path, special attention must be paid to the heroic figures who through successive generations of leadership guided and directed the Army during the past five decades. Many of those people have joined the ranks of the martyrs. Their focus on their plans, actions, and honorable, sincere conduct will be instructive and inspiring for all members of the Armed Forces. This includes distinguished figures, such as Qarani, Fallahi, Namjoo, Fakouri, Babaei, Sattari, Ardestani, and Sayyid Shirazi, along with the most recent renowned martyrs, such as Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi and Aziz Nasirzadeh.

May Almighty God’s peace and blessings be upon all the mujahideen of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, from its commanders and officers to its unsung, anonymous personnel and soldiers. May Almighty God’s peace and greetings be upon all the Army’s selfless veterans and wounded soldiers. And may God’s special mercy be upon the honorable families of all the martyrs of this war imposed by the US and Zionist regime on the great nation of Iran.

May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei

Farvardin 29, 1405