Addressing a military parade held in Tehran on Tuesday in celebration of the National Army Day, Raisi praised the Iranian Army as a courageous force that has outperformed the regional armies in terms of science and technology and has developed up-to-date capabilities.
The Iranian Armed Forces create security in the region, he stated, adding that the message of the Iranian Army Day is “peace and friendship” with regional states.
The president said that the Iranian Armed Forces will warmly shake any hands willing to maintain regional security.
“The extra-regional and American forces must leave the region as soon as possible, because it will be to the benefit of themselves and the region. The presence of outsiders threatens regional security, but our Armed Forces create security wherever in the region they are,” he added.
The president emphasized that while the Iranian military forces have stood against terrorist groups and ensured regional security, the outsiders have only threatened the security of regional countries.
Raisi went on to say that the enemies of Iran, specifically the Zionist regime, have gotten the message that the smallest hostile move will draw a severe response from the Iranian Armed Forces and “will lead to the destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv.”
During the event in Tehran, units from the four divisions of the Army, namely the Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Air Defense, displayed their equipment.
Over 40 various fighter jets, including Saeqeh (Thunderbolt), Kowsar, F-7, F-14, F-4, MiG-29 and Sukhoi fighter jets and bombers performed aerial maneuvers during the military parade over the capital.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
Iran maintains that its military might poses no threat to the regional countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.