Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with a number of the commanders and staff members of the Army Air Force on the anniversary of the historic pledging allegiance of the Force with Imam Khomeini on February 8, 1979.

He recounted the enemies’ strategies against the Islamic Republic, saying, “Sowing pessimism between political groups and distrust among people toward each other and toward the government, and creating pessimism between organizations are among the strategies of Iran’s ill-wishers to achieve their goals.”

Hundreds of commanders and officers of the Iranian Army’s Air Force and Air Defense met with Ayatollah Khamenei on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. This meeting was held on the 44th anniversary of the historic pledge of allegiance by a group of the Army’s Homafar unit to Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution.

During this meeting, the Supreme Leader condoled with disaster-stricken people in both Syria and Turkey over a tragic earthquake that left thousands dead in both countries. He asked Almighty God for mercy for the deceased and patience for the bereaved, saying, “We ourselves have been afflicted, [therefore] we know how hard it is when earthquake hits, when the loved ones of families are destroyed, how bitter it is, how bitter they feel.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also honored the faithful, revolutionary, beloved, and popular Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the doer of “big, fantastic works.” He said that the Army’s pledge of allegiance to Imam Khomeini was a key factor in the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

He stressed that the main goal of the enemy is to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees and destroy it by creating discord and distrust within the country.

“The most important task in the face of this evil plot is to maintain the strategy of unity, and by the grace of God, the 22nd of Bahman this year will be the manifestation of unity and national trust, and the people will clearly convey this message to all ill-wishers that their efforts to create distrust and destroy national unity has been neutralized,” the Supreme Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the most important task in the face of this evil plan is to maintain the strategy of unity and to God’s success on 22nd Bahman this year will be the manifestation of national unity and trust, and the people will clearly convey this message to all ill-wishers that their efforts to create distrust and destroy national unity have been foiled.

Ayatollah Khamenei called the 19th of Bahman event (the historic pledge of allegiance by a group of the Army’s Homafar unit to Imam Khomeini), as an effective and morale-boosting prelude to the 22nd of Bahman that showed the greatness and dignity of the Iranian nation, saying, “The 22nd of Bahman is the peak of the proud movement of the Iranian nation and is reminiscent of the most glorious day in the history of the Iranian nation, because people gained their dignity, greatness and power on this day.”

Emphasizing that the 22nd of Bahman must be kept alive in the future, just as it has been kept alive so far, he added, “A living revolution is one that keeps its traditions and arrangements alive and, in every period, through knowing the needs and dangers, resolves those needs and neutralize the dangers.”

The Supreme Leader argued that the failure or return of harsh and bitter dictatorships in the great revolutions of the world, such as the French and Soviet revolutions, is because of the neglect of the main needs and dangers and preoccupation with personal issues and disputes.

“The Islamic Revolution protected itself from these plights. Of course, we have had problems as well, and the efforts and diagnoses were not the same in different administrations, but the general movement was towards the highest point and material and spiritual progress,” he added.

In another part of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei further pointed out that the enemy intends to bring the Revolution to its knees. “Of course, they say the opposite, as the president of the United States wrote to me about 15 years ago, saying explicitly that ‘we do not intend to change your government.’ But we had reports at the same time that they were planning in their centers to destroy the Islamic Republic.”

According to Ayatollah Khamenei, lying and rumor-mongering are the most important strategies for spreading discord within the country. He also stressed that when the enemy targets national unity with its attacks, “we must not let it emerge victorious in its evil objective by maintaining this unity.”

“The Islamic Republic has taken this important, strategic and beneficial region out of their hands, and in addition, it has raised the call for independence and not getting blackmailed not only as a political issue, but as a religious belief,” he said.

“Some other countries may also want a policy of independence from the US, but this policy would be replaced [as soon as they engage in] trade, talks, sitting at the negotiating table, and possibly bribing influential people,” the Supreme Leader said. “However, the Islamic Republic’s independence and it not getting blackmailed arises from faith and Quran’s emphasis on not trusting the arrogant and cannot be bought or sold.”

The Supreme Leader further clarified the reasons behind the enmities towards the Islamic Republic and said the enemies’ strategy is to create discord because this will eliminate hope for the future.

Ayatollah Khamenei further highlighted the importance of meeting needs, especially “national unity”, which he called an “essential need”, so as to keep the Revolution alive and dynamic, saying, “National unity is a strong and massive wall against the enemy, and today, this unity must be increased as much as possible.”

He then called this year’s 22nd of Bahman a manifestation of national unity and said, “By God’s grace, this year’s 22 Bahman is a manifestation of the presence, dignity, trust of people in each other and national unity.”

“My advice to our dear people is to try to turn this march, this great day, and this glorious movement into a manifestation of national unity and trust and convey this message to the enemy clearly that its attempt to destroy [our] national unity has been neutralized, and that they cannot separate the people from each other and from the government and make the system pessimistic about the people or drag different groups of people to war against each other,” the Supreme Leader added.

Today, instead of not having the right to watch and touch the part of the fighters bought from the US, the Army makes that fighter by all itself, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He noted that comparing the Iranian Army with Pahlavi army indicates the truth and identity of the Islamic Revolution.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Supreme Leader referred to national unity as one of the most important needs for the country, saying that national unity is a dam against the enemy.

He also stressed that national unity played a key role in the victory and progress of the Islamic Revolution.