President Rouhani made the remarks on Tuesday in a ceremony marking the Sacred Defense Week on September 22-29. The event is seen as one of the turning points in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It marks the anniversary of Iraq’s invasion of Iran back in 1980 and which marks the beginning of the in Iran.
Stressing that Sacred Defense made the nation strong, powerful and integrated, Rouhani said that since 1979 Revolution, the enemies have claimed Iran is adopting a fundamentalist system and is seeking to impose its will on its neighbors and other nations. “Imposed War proved who the real aggressor is, which ideology is after aggression and interference in others' domestic affairs and who does not have mercy towards not only neighboring nations but also its own people,” Rouhani underlined.
Sacred Defense proved the faith and belief in God and in Islam does not conflict with patriotism, Rouhani said, adding that patriotism and faith in God fulfilled the most honorable defense of the land at the eight-year war.
“The message of our Revolution is independence and mercy towards people of all neighboring countries, however, the great powers prepared mercenaries to assault, assuming that they could defeat the power of a great nation,” Rouhani noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pointed to the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the biggest anti-terrorism force in the region; “we tell the world today that the biggest anti-terrorism force in the region is the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Just as we have helped the governments of Syria and Iraq against terrorism, upon requests from their governments, if, Heavens forbid, terrorism emerged in other countries, the governments of those countries will pin their hopes to the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Rouhani said.
"Iran has never had the intention to invade another country; it sought peace with neighbours; however, hegemonic powers convinced a neighbour to invade Iran in the hope that they could defeat the Islamic Republic, which had just emerged from a Revolution," the Iranian president said.
The Iranian president referred to Iran’s recent nuclear negotiations with the 5+1, and said the unity of the people, the expertise of the Iranian diplomats and the guidance by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei led to the agreement that secured the rights of the Iranian nation.
Today, Iranian armed forces staged a parade honoring the 34th anniversary of eight years of defense against Iraq's invasion of Iran under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The ceremony marking the “Sacred Defense Week” opened on Tuseday at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic the late Imam Khomeini with a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani; MNA reported.