The 29th of Farvardin was named Army Day by the founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini.
To mark Iran’s National Army Day, various parades are held nationwide every year.
Troops from all units of the Iranian Army stage military parades across the country to mark the occasion.
In Tehran, a ceremony is usually held near the mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, with senior officials and military commanders in attendance.
The units from the four divisions of the Army, namely the Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Air Defense, display their equipment.
National Army Day was included in the Iranian calendar after a historic letter from the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in April 1979.
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.
This day should be commemorated; this memory should be preserved and the meaning of the 29th of Farvardin should be correctly understood, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said.
The 29th of Farvardin signifies that the army belongs to Iran, to revolution, to the people, and is at the service of people’s goals and at the service of the revolution’s goals, he has added.
The great and valuable achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army over long years have been always a cause of pride for this faithful and patient and hard-working organ, he believes.
Without a doubt, the announcement of the “Army Day” was one of the most prominent and useful measures and innovations of the Great Imam [Khomeini], he has stated, adding that if we looked at the motivations that existed at that time across the country, and toward all aspects of the country, in the minds of the enemies of Iran and revolution, we would understand that announcement of a day as the Army Day was a great step; was a useful step; [and] a necessary and imperative step.
Ayatollah Khamenei has also said that “The Army’s involvement in the Sacred Defense era and the offering of practical examples of high levels of morality and spirituality besides combat prowess is another of its honors.
The Leader has described martyrs Sayyad Shirazi, Babaee, and many other martyrs of the Army as practical role models for morality and spirituality and stressed, “Today, the Army of the Islamic Republic is an ideological and spiritual force and has sacred and innocent motives and it is one of the important results of the measure by Imam Khomeini to name this day and these values should be appreciated and promoted.”
Reported by Amin Mohammadzadegan Khoyi