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In recent weeks, two leaders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – IRGC commander Hossein Salami and IRGC Qods Force commander Esmail Qaani – have praised Iran's Islamic Revolution and glorified its contribution to humanity. They stressed that the revolution has awakened mankind and that its mission is to save it from its infidel slave masters, through Islam and with God's protection. They also glorified those who follow the revolutionary camp and are armed with the power of faith, and explained that their victory against the materialistic infidel enemy is assured.
Enumerating the three invincible elements of strength – Islam, Iran's Supreme Leader, and the people – he stressed that they had delivered defeat to the infidel enemy, whose material means could not stand up to the correct faith.
The following are the main points of statements made by IRGC commander Salami in three ideological lectures, and statements by Qods Force commander Qaani:
IRGC Commander Salami: "One Of The Ideals Of The Islamic Revolution Is To Save Mankind From Its Enslavement In The Modern Global Slave Market; The Enemy's Fate Is Eternal Defeat"
At a March 2 Basij change of command ceremony, Salami said: "It is written on the forehead of our revolution that we will see the dusk of the superpowers. The enemy has understood that the main secret of its defeats is the interconnection of Islam, the [rule of the] jurisprudent [i.e. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei], and the people. One of the ideals of the Islamic Revolution is to save mankind from its enslavement in the modern global slave market. The Islamic Revolution is the revival and dawning of the sun of Islam. The truth of the Islamic Revolution constitutes the renewed revival of mankind so that it will rise up from the graveyard of distraction and enslavement. As long as the sun rises, the infidels will be prepared to extinguish the light of God – but God completes his glory and reveals His light to all.
"Our revolution was a revolution of consciousness, and it awakened humanity. The recurrence of this awakening in the world cannot be restrained. The elements that make up Islam will spread worldwide, and it is written at the front of our revolution that we will see the dusk of the [enemy] forces.
"Those who until a few decades ago seemed invincible are [now] seeing the death of their logic. The main defeat of our enemies is the defeat of their logic and faith. If society breaks its belief system, it will fail. The Islamic societies are on the path to revive the values of justice, honor, spirituality, and morality.
"Exchanges of fire do not subdue [us]; the economic siege does not defeat us. In Islam's approach and world view, greatness lies in the spirit, in meaning, and in faith.
"As long as we anchor the divine faith in the [belief] system, we will not fail. In November [1979] God created the Basij, and it sprouts in thought of the Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini. This beautiful sapling sprouted in the hearts of the people, and became a large, strong tree. From the point of view of life philosophy, the Basij spreads faith, presents values, and constitutes the brilliant embodiment of the divine attributes of Islam in the body of humanity.
"The enemy attacked [the Iranian people] from all directions, including [through] its economy and culture and [through the use of] terrorism, [but] the paths closed before it, and after it encountered a closed door it tried again but again failed.
"The main secret of these defeats of the enemy is [the enemy's] non-comprehension and ignorance regarding the main elements of the strength facing it. The enemy is incapable of meeting the standards of spiritual strength, and went to war against the spirituality, faith, and values of the [Iranian] people using material means. The asymmetry in this war was manifested in the nature, identity, and logic of strength. The enemy will never be able to handle the strength of the revolution with material means.
"The fate of the enemy is eternal defeat. Defeat happens when beliefs and values change, and faith collapses. The enemy realized that the main secret of its defeat is the interconnection of Islam, the [rule of the] jurisprudent [Khamenei], and the people. When these three elements merge, they create invincible strength.
"The Basij itself is a battlefield, and the main foundation of the struggle. If we want our revolution to continue to blossom, we must keep this foundation alive, in the field [of battle] and in our breath. Technical progress can never replace the role of man in excellence in society and growth..."
With regard to the relative cyber superiority of Iran's enemies, Salami noted: "Know that if the Basij enter the arena, you will be able to see how the enemies flee... The Basij is the life philosophy and flesh of the flesh of the [Iranian] nation. No country but Iran has such a model of a regime in which the representative of God heads the system and the people believe in him."[1]
Salami: "The Iranian Nation Is The Most Beautiful Model For The World Of Martyrs"; "The Iranian Nation Is Not Mistaken Because It Looks Only To The Shining Star In The Firmament Known As The Leader [Khamenei]"
On March 8, Salami spoke at an event honoring the literature of resistance and jihad, held in the city of Sanandaj in the Kurdistan region in the north of the country. He praised the role of the Islamic Revolution and Islam in uniting all the ethnic tribes in Iran and discussed the role of jihad and the martyrs and their contribution to Iran's victory over its enemies. The following are the main points of his statements:
"No one believes that the Prophet of Islam will arise from among the poor and thus conquer the world. History has shown that the camp of Islam is rising in the world and that all the polytheists are always prepared against it in order to extinguish the light of God. But God increases his light every time...
"Iran is the land of greatness, with Islam's civilization and state... The geographic [area] of the [Islamic] resistance and the history of our resistance are enormous. Any people that cannot withstand the sensitive scenes [i.e. the difficult stages] of its history disappears politically and geographically.
IRGC commander Hossein Salami. Source: Tasnim, Iran, March 8, 2021
"The Iranian nation has experienced four decades of withstanding difficulty, when the strong attacked the country and closed the gates of commerce and the borders to it in order to force it to its knees. The steadfastness of the Iranian people has shown the steadfastness of a nation; although all the evil ones in the world carry out evil deeds against the country, so far not one man has surrendered. The Iranian nation has traversed the path of jihad and martyrdom, and this is the secret of our victory. The heat of the flames of Islam and the dawn of rebirth are happening again in the country.
"The elements of stability and steadfastness in the country, and in the religion of the country, exist together with the leaders, who are farseeing and courageous, and have broad horizons and spiritual training... When the Islamic nation and the leader unite, they constitute the identity and the personality of the nation's resistance. No one can do a thing [against this], and America stops and becomes preoccupied in its own country...
"We are talking here about the literature of the resistance, the meaning of filling words with inspiration, just as the literature of our steadfastness is created and fills society with the scent of the word shuhada [martyrs] – such a nation will never surrender...
"The enemies of Islamic Iran are being defeated today because they did not manage to defeat the nation and the regime of the Islamic Revolution, because the Iranian nation is known today for its zeal, its persistence, the unity of its heart, and its conscientiousness, and the resistance stems from the existence of heart and faith.
"The enemies imagine that the Iranian nation will replace its honor, authority, and prestige with material things. The story of the economic siege is the story of the enemy's mistake about our society, and the outcome is the enemy's mistake. The enemy is paying [for its actions] because it is mistaken, and ultimately it is defeated.
"They have severely boycotted us, but today, thanks to their resistance, these people and the Iranian nation have stood fast and triumphed.
"The Iranian nation is the most beautiful model for the world of martyrs; it is the embodiment of the most beautiful form of this model – and this is despite the fact that its enemies have surrendered to the disease [COVID-19] and were defeated. In Iran it is the people that rules, and it has established the most exceptional regime in history and its commanders [speak with it] at the same level, and therefore the people sees the regime as part of it.
"In Iran... everyone lives for the state. Islam in Iran has made all ethnic groups brothers, and according to the Quran, these races provide the opportunity to become acquainted with the different ethnic groups. The entire Iranian nation is noble and great. We have experienced this greatness in practice, with the people's resistance. The nation that never heeds the voice of foreigners must be respected.
"Resistance is a path, and no point on it must be weakened. The Iranian nation is not mistaken because it looks only to the shining star in the firmament known as the leader [Khamenei]."[2]
Salami: "Islam Is So Precious That God Gladly Slaughtered Its [most beautiful and complete essence, i.e. Imam Hussein] On The Altar Of The 'Ashura; Therefore, Our Revolution Is The Continuation Of The Divine Mission – Iran's Islamic Revolution Aims To Create The Good Life On Earth"
In another ideological speech, on March 14, 2021, IRGC commander Salami discussed the mythos of self-sacrifice in the Shi'a – that is, the martyrdom of Imam Hussein on 'Ashura Day in 680 CE (61 AH)[3] – while stressing that the Islamic Revolution is the contemporary actualization of the Islamic revelation and of God's commandments. He said: "The nature of the IRGC was created on 'Ashura Day in the year 61 after the Hijra [that is, the day of Imam Hussein's death]; this means that the IRGC is an extension of the 'Ashura companions [i.e. those who were with Hussein on the day he was killed]. Indeed, the Basij is also like this. Islam is so precious that God gladly slaughtered its [most beautiful and complete essence, i.e. the Imam Hussein] on the altar of the 'Ashura. Therefore, the revolution is the continuation of the divine mission. Iran's Islamic Revolution aims to create the good life on earth and to free mankind from enslavement by the arrogance [i.e. the infidel West, led by the U.S.], as a continuation of the mission of the prophets, and to bring mankind to worship God – which means renewing the mission.
"We are living in the golden age of Islam, since Islam has dawned and is shining forth, and there is an opportunity for God's commandments to be realized. We are therefore in a unique situation. The revelation is now and the Qur'an is being read, and in order to realize God's promises, sovereignty has been created and there is a commandment to do good deeds.
"There can be no life without the sovereignty [of Islam]. In practice, without the rule [of the jurisprudent], rulings cannot be implemented, and the polytheists and infidels create dissonance between man and the revelation [Islam]. This prevents eyes from seeing and ears from hearing [reality]. Therefore, Islam has come, to remove these veils of ignorance. Despite this, we do not [fully] know our revolution and do not understand [the great event] it created in the world.
"Thanks to Iran's Islamic Revolution, mankind and purity of spirit are again spreading. Clearly, the satanic forces were standing in a row to prevent them from spreading, and to achieve this used all their talents and abilities in [this] phase of confronting Islam. But early Islamic history is repeating itself. When Islam creates sovereignty it seeks to bring mankind to a safe haven in the name of this religion. That all the global [forces of] arrogance is mobilizing against it. But God comes to the aid of His religion, for God's promises are never broken.
"We are treading a difficult path, yet we are full of hope. I see the enemies, and we watch them from the farthest corners [of the earth]. In addition, we have a leader who can foresee the future, who is profound, and who knows the enemy well and believes in the worldview of might.
"The enemies focused all their attention on Islam, trying to distance the youth from the revolution and to divide the Islamic nation using various tricks. But despite all these efforts, the enemy [was eventually forced to] flee and distanced himself from us. America has thousands of troops in Iraq, yet it has been compelled to withdraw from that country. The enemy is all fire, but the process is being reversed. For example, a handful of Yemeni Muslims in that land of resistance [Yemen] dominate the arena and are targeting the depth of the enemy's territory [i.e. Saudi Arabia]. What is the source of their might and what artfulness could have levelled this playing field?
"The righteous defend Islam with their eyes and their tongues, even if their shoulders are cut off. This is because we have no choice; we are at the end of the battle.[4] The enemy has failed, to the point where we can see the rot in his bones, the despair in his eyes, the weakness in his words, and the helplessness on his face. How was his power eroded like this? They have reaped nothing but defeat.
"Today we are dictating terms to the enemy. Clearly, every time they [the enemies] dictated terms to us, we failed. But if we dictate terms to the enemy, we shall win, for only believers can confront the modern, advanced enemy. We have weapons. We have plenty of modern [weapons]; we are no longer speaking emptyhanded. We too have the kind of power that the enemy does. But if the people do not believe, these weapons will achieve nothing. That is why it is crucial to cultivate [people of faith].
"While the enemies cannot create such might by cultivating the righteous, they can destroy the righteous [and turn them away] from the right path. To this end, they target the hearts and minds [of the believers] using sophisticated and complex media activity. That is why we must raise people of faith who will remain [steadfast] in this arena – strong people borne on the two wings of consciousness and faith – for the hearts of the faithful do not break.
"On the far horizon, we hear the cries of the enemy, and we can see the sickness of the arrogant ruling system [i.e. the U.S.]. When our wise scholar [Khamenei] speaks and impacts our hearts, a man like [IRGC commander] Qassem Soleimani learns from it, and arises – and even the enemy speaks [highly] of him.
"The enemy's goal is to block God's commandments and revelation and to sow division among the people. The enemy says that the body must be separated from the mind, so we must do the opposite. We are clearly an armed force, but we say that nothing is effective except cultivating righteous people [to fight] the enemies."[5]
Poster featuring quote from Salami's speech: "We Are Dictating Terms to the Enemy"
Qods Force Commander Qaani: Islam Is The Religion Of Resistance And Freedom
Speaking at a conference on international lawsuits pertaining to the Iran-Iraq war, Qods Force commander Esmail Qaani praised the Islamic Revolution and said that the Iran would continue on the path of resistance and would follow in the footsteps of Qassem Soleimani. He said:
"We are all children of Islam. Islam is the religion of resistance. We turn to God at least 10 times a day, in our best emotional states, asking Him to [help us] remain on the path of resistance...
"Following our steadfastness in every situation, we sit here today as children of the revolution who have proudly passed through several stages of resistance. This is because Islam is the religion of freedom and freedom cannot be attained [without action]. You can be free with the resistance, and those who do not resist will be humiliated at every phase.
"The Islamic Revolution is now famous throughout the world, among friends and foes, for it is [a revolution] of freedom and its children attained freedom through resistance...
"The outcome [of the revolution and the resistance] is that the science of resistance [emanated] from Islamic Iran and advanced step by step, breaching various enemy ramparts, [until] today. [Now], on distant shores, there are courageous men who are the spiritual descendants of God's messenger and disciples of the culture of the Islamic Revolution; they welcome freedom in the midst of oppression. All these trails were blazed through hard work and comprehensive efforts. There were people in this arena who successfully showed the true picture of the concept of resistance.
"In the arena of resistance, one of the arts we must master is that of turning threats into opportunities. Had the Americans been smart, they would have stopped seeking wars and arguments with the divine system of the Islamic Republic. [Even] according to their own logic, their became the best opportunity [for Iran]. They [the Americans] forced war upon us, but the war was the best opportunity for us to introduce the world to this [divine] system and to the revolution.
"I, as your younger brother, and in the presence of the commanders who are most experienced in warfare, am telling you that, asked what our noblest achievement in the war has been, we would surely say that... it was humanization and the resistance that is building up mankind throughout the world.
"We must know whence we came, where we are and where we are headed. We must recognize opportunities. Our country is blessed because the Imams ['Ali and Hussein] prayed for the men who recognize opportunities in the arena of resistance.
"We have mastered four languages. The first is the language of the deprived and the oppressed, in order to know what they say and what they want. The second is the language of sincerity and logic. The third is the language of might, authority, and honor. Finally, if we cannot speak with our rivals in any of these languages, there is [the language of] violence. We know how to speak with someone like America that understands nothing but the language of violence...
"The martyr Soleimani was a father to the deprived and oppressed children... and embraced them. He understood the words of these [oppressed] children, youths, men, and women... Conversely, he used the harshest language of violence with the enemies who created this situation [of oppression] in the region.
"We are all responsible. This path is a school and this school is the place that cultivates those who must walk this path. We continue to resist the world's most persistent enemies, [and we are treading] the path of honor, liberty, and steadfast resistance in all areas – the path of powerful resistance [that is being waged] each and every day.
"The Zionist regime thinks that it can weaken the resistance by using desperate measures. If that is true, why is it now surrounded by [the world's] highest concrete walls? The same goes for America. Compare their situation when they entered Iraq and Afghanistan to their situation today.
"As we have seen, the blood of our noble martyrs opened up the way to Karbala [during] the Sacred Defense [the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war], and we will see the beloved blood of the martyrs of the resistance liberating the path to Jerusalem."[6]
[1] ISNA.ir, March 2, 2021.
[2] Tasnimnews.com, March 8, 2021.
[3] The 'Ashura marks the anniversary of the death of Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, whom the Shi'ites regard as Muhammad's rightful heir. He was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE (61 AH) against the forces of Umayyad Caliph Yazid bin Mu'awiyah, his rival for the leadership of Islam.
[4] He is referring to the story of the Islamic hero Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, who continued fighting even when most of his limbs had been cut off.
[5] ISNA (Iran), March 14, 2021.
[6] Fars (Iran), February 23, 2021.
