Iranian military units on Sunday held a motorcade parade in the capital Tehran where various types of unmanned aerial vehicles, tanks, anti-aircraft batteries, advanced missile systems and different kinds of electronic warfare systems were put on display.

Army chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and commanders of the army’s air force, navy and ground force as well as senior commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) were present to oversee the parade.

“The army has always stood with the people. Forty-three years ago, we supported the Iranian nation and we continue to do so,” Mousavi told Press TV.

Military authorities, however, decided to cancel march-pasts in compliance with the coronavirus restrictions.

The Army’s air defense division unveiled three domestically-developed missile systems, including Zolfaqar low-altitude missile system that enjoys great mobility and can connect to electro-optic systems.

Majid missile system used for intercepting and downing low-altitude targets as well as cruise missiles, and Khatam artillery fire control system capable of striking various aerial targets at low altitudes were showcased as well.

Damavand strategic and long-range system, which is used for downing various aircraft as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, was also displayed.

The National Army Day was included in the Iranian calendar after a historic letter from the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, in 1979, in which he voiced his strong support for the Army and ordered its troops to hold nationwide parades on April 18 every year.

Meanwhile in his message on the occasion of the National Day of Army, President Rouhani stressed that Iran’s military institutions recognize their mission and responsibility more professionally than ever.

Stating that Iran’s national security depends on preserving its territorial integrity, President Hassan Rouhani stressed: “Today, along with the experience of the imposed war (Iran-Iraq war) and the legacy of the holy defense, Iran’s military institutions recognize their mission and responsibility more professionally than ever.”

In his message on the occasion of (April 18), the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he added: “Every nation is proud of its powerful army and every army is proud of its zealous and great nation; nations are defenseless without armies, and armies are defenseless without people, and governments without these two are “without capital” and altogether a solid barrier [against the enemies].”

The message reads: “Undoubtedly, the legitimacy of armies lies in their sacrifice, patriotism, and loyalty toward the national security, order, national unity, and territorial integrity. But the relationship of armies to nations is more strategic than the relationship of armies to governments. Governments need nations to stay in power, but when a nation is dissatisfied with a government and turns away, the armies must choose between nations and governments and decide and choose. The armies are armed, but their weapons target the enemies of the nations, not the nations. Armies are, of course, administratively part of governments and states, and therefore must obey governments by law. It is a democratic principle that the soldier obeys the commander. But it is also clear that the armies must support a government that has not betrayed its people.”

The president also stated in this message: “Forty-three years ago, when the Iranian nation turned away from the monarchy and made a revolution against the dictatorship, the Pahlavi turned to the army in a delusion for its survival and asked it for a coup against the revolution and in fact, the army made its final choice and sided with the nation, because the army is ultimately part of the nation’s boundless sea, and this is the difference between the Iranian army and other armies in the region.

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According To Iran News, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a message congratulated Iran’s National Army Day, which falls on April 17.

The message was conveyed by the head of the military office of Leader, Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi, in a telephone conversation with Army’s Chief Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi.

During the conversation, Brigadier General Shirazi said, the Leader has sent his warmest regards to all the members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, including the personnel, commanders and their families.

National Army Day was included in the Iranian calendar after a historic letter from late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in April 1979, in which he voiced strong support for the Army and ordered Army troops to hold massive parades across the country on April 18 every year to express their combat readiness.

The historic decision by Imam Khomeini came after hostile propaganda for undermining the Army after its successful missions in quelling riots and separatist moves.

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