In his remarks at the 40th Day Anniversary, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that this war brought forth the will and power of the Islamic Republic and made manifest the unparalleled solidity of its foundations. Emphasising that the root cause of these hostilities is their antagonism towards the faith, knowledge, and unity of the Iranian nation, he said, “Our nation, by divine grace, will never abandon the path of strengthening faith and of expanding in diverse fields of knowledge. In defiance of the enemy, we will elevate Iran to the pinnacle of progress and glory.”
Ayatollah Khamenei again expressed condolences to the families of martyred military leaders, scientists, and civilians who lost their lives in the recent conflict. He said, 'During these 12 days, the Iranian people not only achieved great honour that the world now recognises, but also demonstrated their power, resilience, determination, and capabilities so clearly that the world has tangibly felt the strength of the Islamic Republic."
The Leader of the Revolution described the foundation of the Islamic Republic as being built upon two pillars: faith and knowledge. He said, “The people and youth of Iran have forced the enemy into retreat across various fronts by relying on these two pillars and will continue to do so from now on."
He pointed out that the principal reason for the antagonism towards the Islamic Republic by the forces of global arrogance, spearheaded by criminal America, is that the Islamic Republic has been founded upon religion, knowledge, and Iranian unity under the banner of Islam and the Quran. He said, “All their talk about nuclear issues, enrichment, and human rights is just an excuse. The true cause of their distress and opposition is the emergence of a new discourse and the Islamic Republic's demonstrated capabilities across various scientific, humanities, technical, and religious fields."
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasised the point that, by God's grace, the Iranian nation will never abandon its religion and knowledge. He added, “We will take major strides in strengthening religion and deepening our various fields of knowledge, and despite the enemy's hostility, we will elevate Iran to the zenith of progress and honour.”
At the ceremony, several Quran reciters chanted verses from the Holy Book. Hujjat al-Islam Rafiei referenced Sermon 182 of the Nahj al-Balagha in his speech, where he outlined the attributes of the martyrs of the Battle of Siffin, aligning them with those of the martyrs from the recent 12-day imposed war.
Hujjat al-Islam Rafiei outlined eight key characteristics: steadfastness on the path, advancing in the way of truth, reciting and practising the Quran, fulfilling religious obligations, reviving divine traditions, confronting heresies, participating in jihad, and following the leadership. He said, “As clearly stated in the Quran, faith and trust in God are the two main factors for divine victory, both of which were clearly evident in the 12-day imposed war and paved the way for the Iranian nation's resilience and victory.”
During the ceremony, Mr Mohammadreza Bazri recited poems honouring the epic sacrifice of martyrs in the war against the Zionist enemy, and delivered elegies mourning the sufferings of the Household of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt)."