TEHRAN – Army Chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi has said the military outfit worn by Iranian servicemen shows that they have chosen the path of sacrificing themselves in order to defend the country and the people.

“We are grateful for the blood of the martyrs, veterans and our predecessors,” General Mousavi said on Wednesday, addressing Army’s servicemen.

“We commit ourselves before the Great God to preserve this legacy better than ever and hand it to you, the youths,” he added, Mehr reported. 

The remarks came weeks after protests erupted in some cities in Iran against increasing gasoline price. In certain cases, the protests turned violent as some rioters clashed with police, using knives and guns.

Rioters damaged public and private property and put banks and state buildings on fire.

The protests lasted just for a few days.

Mousavi said on Monday that the armed forces have been trained to counter the enemy’s sedition in Iran.

“The necessary training has been given for the forces, and of course the necessary preparedness has been attained,” he said.

“Sedition at different branches, dimensions and shapes threaten the Islamic Iran,” he said, adding that the armed forces, backed by the people, should fight and defeat Iran’s enemies.

The general said the armed forces have recognized the measures which must be taken in order to counter the enemy’s sedition.

He pointed to the recent unrest across the country, saying the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acted as a guard against the enemies in order to preserve security.

Soon after the protests erupted, Ayatollah Khamenei supported the government’s decision, putting an end to doubts and possible moves to reverse the decision.

The Leader said he had previously announced that since he was not an expert on the issue, he would support any decision made by heads of the three branches of government and the experts.

MH/PA