IRGC Marks Sacred Defense Week with Statement on Deterrence and Regional Power

On Monday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement on the occasion of Sacred Defense Week, which marks the 46th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran (1980-1988). In the statement, the IRGC described the Sacred Defense as a "brilliant and golden chapter in the generation of national will and unity" and a "strategic school for defense power generation and deterrence." The IRGC emphasized that the powerful Armed Forces, with full readiness and strategic intelligence, stand with their fingers on the trigger, prepared to deliver decisive and devastating responses to any aggressor enemy.

The statement further elaborated that "Sacred Defense was beyond a military event; it was a workshop for generating social capital, national cohesion, and strategic self-belief." It added, "It taught the Iranian nation that true power lies in the depth of faith, unity of word, and the bond between leadership and the people. This teaching has today transformed into a smart and multi-layered defense system that transcends geographical borders and creates deterrence in cognitive, cyber, economic, and strategic domains."

The IRGC also asserted that "strategic management of the Strait of Hormuz, breaking the glory of arrogant, anti-human, and satanic powers, and exposing the inability of the domination-seeking and terrorist American regimes have become undeniable facts." According to the statement, "The world after these battles is a different world, a world in which the oppressed nations have come to believe in their capabilities, and the arrogant powers have been placed on a downward slope."

The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The IRGC's remarks underscore its continued emphasis on deterrence and its portrayal of recent conflicts as having shifted the regional balance of power. The Sacred Defense Week commemorates the eight-year war that began in September 1980, when Iraq, under then-President Saddam Hussein, invaded Iran. The conflict resulted in significant casualties and lasting impacts on Iran's military and political landscape.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC's statement reflects its ongoing narrative of resistance and self-reliance, positioning the Sacred Defense as a foundational experience that continues to shape Iran's defense strategy. The report by Mehr News added that the IRGC views the current regional dynamics as a continuation of the struggle against external domination, with the United States and Israel cast as adversaries that must eventually accept a new regional order.