IRGC chief praises armed forces after 6 months of war

Major General Ahmad Vahidi, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), issued a message on Friday marking the start of the Islamic month of Rabi al-Awwal. In his remarks, he praised Iranian armed forces for their performance over six months of conflict, stating that they had "brought the world's most heavily armed military to its knees."

Vahidi addressed IRGC personnel, army troops, police, the Basij, and border forces, commending their endurance through harsh conditions, including intense heat and humidity on Iran's southern islands and coast, as well as cold weather in the northern border highlands. He highlighted successful offensive and defensive operations carried out under heavy fire.

The IRGC chief drew a comparison to Iran's eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s and thanked the families of those who fought. He offered condolences and well wishes for the new Islamic month, and voiced hope that the war's toll on the region, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon, would soon end.

Vahidi was appointed IRGC commander in March, days after his predecessor, Mohammad Pakpour, was martyred in a strike at the outset of the war that the United States and the Israeli regime launched against Iran in February. According to Mehr News Agency, the message underscores the IRGC's assessment of the conflict's progress and its commitment to regional stability.