The ceremony marking the “Sacred Defense Week” opened at the mausoleum of the Founder of the Islamic Republic the late Imam Khomeini with a speech by President Hassan Rouhani.
Sacred Defense is a common Iranian term for the war in which Iraq's then-president Saddam Hussein, the aggressor, received extensive international support for his invasion against Iran. It occurred less than two years after triumph of the Islamic Revolution in the country.
Military top brass are also present at the parade where the latest achievements of the nation’s Armed Forces, including defense equipment as well as other military hardware, are set to be displayed.
September 22 is considered as one of the turning points in the history of the Iranian nation marking the day when Saddam's troops invaded Iran in 1980.
Thirty five years ago, Sadaam Hussein, supported by major Western and regional states, launched a massive military invasion against Iran.
Saddam's imposed war is commemorated nationwide as 'eight years of Sacred Defense.' Each year, Iranian Armed Forces stage military parades to mark the event; IRNA reported.