Iran owes its power to combatants' steadfastness during war, says Friday prayers leader

In his Friday prayers sermon in Tehran this week, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard stated that if it had not been for the self-sacrifices of fighters during the eight years of the Sacred Defense (the Iraqi-imposed war against Iran from 1980 to 1988), Iran's scientific prowess, knowledge, and technology, along with the missile stockpiles that generate authority, would not have been at the disposal of the Islamic nation and the Axis of Resistance. He expressed his gratitude for the resistance of the Iranian people and the powerful Armed Forces, who, he said, emerged victorious in the face of US and Israeli aggression against the country.

Aboutorabi-Fard referred to National Aerospace Week and the martyrdom anniversary of Hassan Tehrani-Moghaddam, known as the father of Iran's missile program, and commemorated other martyred commanders, including former IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, martyr Mahmoud Bagheri, former IRGC Chief Commander Major General Hossein Salami, and Brigadier General Pakpour, who, he said, elevated Iran's standing on the international stage. Turning to the role of indigenous knowledge and technology in developing the country's missile capabilities, the senior cleric stated that distinguished military commanders, including martyr Hassan Tehrani-Moghaddam, martyr Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, and martyr General Mousavi, shifted the balance of power in favor of Iran and the Muslim nations of the region through the design and mass production of drones and missiles equipped with precision-guided, maneuverable warheads.

Outlining the pillars of the Islamic Republic's defense doctrine, Aboutorabi-Fard stressed that Iran's defense doctrine is based on precise calculation, so that the cost of aggression must be rendered disproportionately high for any aggressor, including the United States. He added that the enemy's strategy must be shattered through the use of precision-guided projectiles and warheads capable of maneuvering up to the moment of impact. Elsewhere in his remarks, the interim Friday prayers leader pointed to Iran's space achievements, stating that by launching indigenous satellites into Earth's orbit using domestically manufactured satellite launch vehicles, Iran has joined the group of nations possessing a complete space capability.

Referring to the recently unveiled Iranian missile city, the cleric described the unveiling of the new missile city of the IRGC Aerospace Force as a proud manifestation of this preparation and prayed for the increased strength and power of the Armed Forces and the Islamic Establishment. He also referred to the recent two wars—the 12-day and 40-day wars—imposed by the US and Israel against the country, stressing that the powerful Armed Forces of the country, along with the noble nation of Islamic Iran, undermined the grandeur of the Global Arrogance in the world. According to Mehr News, the sermon underscored Iran's emphasis on self-reliance in defense and space technology.