By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has warned Israeli regime against taking even the slightest action against the Islamic Republic, saying Iran will react to such a move with “destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv.”
Raeisi made the remarks while addressing a parade to mark National Army Day in Tehran on Tuesday, 18 April, 2023 when he said the Iranian Army’s capabilities are based on domestic know-how.
“The enemies, especially the Zionist regime (Israel), have received this message that the slightest move against the country will evoke a severe response from the armed forces and will be accompanied by the destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv,” he added.
Raeisi also said the message of Iran’s Army and Armed Forces to the US troops is that they must leave the region as soon as possible.
“The extra-regional and American forces should leave the region as soon as possible because it is in their own interest and in the interest of the region,” the Iranian president said.
“The presence of foreign forces threatens regional security but our armed forces provide security wherever they are present in the region,” he added.
He explained that the Iranian Armed Forces have resisted terrorists and improved security in the region, while foreign forces only pose a threat to the regional states.
The Iranian Armed Forces’ power is beneficial to the security of the region and “it is no secret to anyone that our armed forces have protected the territorial integrity and security of the countries in the region,” he said.
He reiterated that the presence of foreign troops, Americans in particular, would never protect the integrity of the Persian Gulf region.
He said the brave and heroic Iranian army has taken the lead from the armies of the regional countries in various fields of science and technology and everyone acknowledges this fact.
The Iranian chief executive said the country’s army has turned into a strong fortress against anti-revolutionary elements, Takfiri groups, and thugs, adding that it is in charge of safeguarding Iran’s borders and protecting national interests and security in the oceans.
Raeisi, who also serves as head of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), emphasized that the National Army Day conveys the message of peace and friendship to regional countries.
He noted that Iran’s sky is among the most secure in the region, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army creates opportunities for the country from all threats and shortcomings.”
The Iranian chief executive also vowed to equip the Army with state-of-the-art technologies.
The National Army Day, which is celebrated annually on April 18, was established by the founder and first Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, in 1979.
Two months after the fall of the deposed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Ayatollah Khomeini met with the soldiers of the Armed Forces who had made an invaluable contribution to the victory of the Revolution. A few days later, Ayatollah Khomeini named April 18 “the Army Day,” calling for military parades to exhibit the nation’s military preparedness.
