Months after the victory of revolution in Iran, foreign powers and regional dictators armed Saddam to launch an all-out war against the peaceful Iranian nation.
They wanted to damage the Iranian nation and weaken the revolution from very beginning.
However, the masses and all stratum of the Iranian society became united under the flag of Imam's leadership to defend the Islamic system and values and confront the global colonialist powers and dictatorial regimes.
Imam mobilized all domestic sources and forces to defend the borders and Islamic- human values.
Imam had given special instruction to forces and had denied any use of forces against civilians or issued orders against misbehaving with prisoners of war.
The 8-year long war imposed by the regional and global powers against Iran met with failures. But the sacrifices made by the Islamic Iranian youth will be remembered forever. The Iranian forces defended their land and values with considering all moral and humane values.
The great spiritual leader of the Islamic world had also predicted that those who were supporting Saddam should expect one day that this stupid dictator will also turn against them. Imam prediction came true years after Saddam invaded some more Arab regional countries.
The date when Saddam launched aggression and imposed war against Iran is marked as defense week and Iranian army and Iran revolutionary guards (IRGC) display their defensive potentials during this weeks and special parades are held across the country.
The special circles and gatherings are also held to remember the sacrifices made by martyrs during those tough war- time.
The Islamic revolution strengthened the cause of oppressed people and nations and made them learned how to defend themselves against tyrants and aggressive powers.
Imam said during one of his historic speeches about all these developments as following:
"Certain points ought to be mentioned. One is that the Iranians should not think that the government and the army of Iran are helpless in responding to the Iraqi aggression. I will, at the proper time, order the people to fight and prove to Saddam Husayn and the likes of him that these slaves of America are nothing to talk about. We always make it a point that our response to their attacks should be such that the Iraqi people are not harmed. But in case Iraq oversteps its limits and repeats its aggression, we are resolved and determined to mobilize the people and order them to fight. It will then become clear to the Iraqi people that we have nothing against them and that it is this Saddam Husayn who has attacked us on America's instigation. Our response to his attack will have nothing at all to do with the people of Iraq who are our brothers.
Today, I heard the wretched voice of this man. That is, I heard the address he made. It seems that he has become a Muslim recently because he has resorted to invoking Hadrat Amir, `Ali ibn Aboutalib, Imam Husayn (s), etc. and thereby deceive the people, unaware of the fact that the people of Iraq know him for what he is. They came to know this communist government from the very beginning of its coming to power when the late Aqa Hakim »1« had boycotted and excommunicated it. The people have also come to know the nature of this government because of the acts that it has committed; it executed the great `ulama' of Iraq. Now he] Saddam [is seeking the help of the Iraqi people while he has been repressing them."
Sahifeh, vol31, Page: 194-198