Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks at the joint graduation ceremony for cadets of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces Academies at Imam Hossein (PBUH) University on Sunday morning.

Ayatollah Khamenie, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, attended the ceremony through videoconference.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony was held with only a number of the exemplary units from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, IRGC and Police in attendance.

“Our armed forces are a strong wall and a shield of the country against the hard threats. Today, Iran’s Armed Forces including the Army, the IRGC, the police, the Basij are literally a defensive shield against the hard threats of external and internal enemies,” Ayatollah Khamenei said during the ceremony.

“The security of a country is the basic and necessary infrastructure for all activities and progress,” he added. “It is a great honor for a country to be able to provide its own security with its own capable and powerful forces, and those who, under the illusion of relying on others, think that they can provide security of their own countries, should know that they will be slapped soon,” the Supreme Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that the presence of foreign armies in our own region, including the US military, is destructive and provocative.

“Everyone should try to make independent countries and armies that are only dependent on nations and converge with other neighboring and regional armies. This is to the benefit of the region,” he said.

In relevant remarks in mid-April, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the Army’s preparedness for different missions, calling on officials to further increase military power.

In a message to Iranian Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi on the occasion of the Army Day in Iran (April 18), Ayatollah Khamenei lauded all Army personnel and their family members.

“Today, the army is on the scene and preparing for mission,” he stressed.

Addressing the Army commanders, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Continue to increase these preparations as much as needed and play a role.”