Iran has commemorated its Army Day during a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani and top military brass.
The ceremony, held in the capital, featured a parade showcasing the Islamic Republic’s military achievements.
Delivering a speech at the event, President Rouhani said the Iranian Armed Forces were not disposed to launch an act of aggression against anyone.
“Our Armed Forces will not be a threat to others... We move in the direction of avoiding confrontations and tensions; however, we should always maintain our alertness against conspiracies by others and should enhance our deterrent power day by day,” the president said
The president reassured Iran’s neighbors that Iranian Armed Forces acted to defend the entire “important and sensitive” region of the Middle East.
He said other countries could rest assured that Iran’s military power was “defensive,” not “offensive.”
The president promised a “vigorous and determined” response to potential aggressors, however.
President Rouhani also said the Islamic Republic’s Army has always been spoken of fondly, while “some of the world’s armies are reminiscent of intervention in other countries’ internal affairs, genocide, terror sponsorship, coups d’état, and lack of regard for the people’s opinion and law.”
Apart from President Rouhani, the chiefs of the Iranian Army, Air Force, and Navy, as well as the heads of the main divisions of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) were in attendance.