TEHRAN — The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran has celebrated its National Day across the country, canceling regular parades to hold what it called “service parades” intended to put on display its power in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

Units of the Army’s Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, and Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base participated in the nationwide parades, with the motto “Homeland Defenders, Health Assistants”, Mehr reported.

Tehran’s parade was attended by Army Chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi; Army Deputy Coordinator Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari; Army Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari; Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi; and Air Force Commander Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh.

Beside Tehran, the parades were also held in Mashhad, Tabriz, Qom, Rasht and Shiraz and some other cities.

During the parades, the Armed Forces displayed their healthcare equipment, including the disinfecting tools and vehicles as well as the mobile hospitals employed to deliver quality relief and medical services to people infected by the novel virus.

Speaking at the event, General Mousavi praised the military for acting like an iron dam protecting people against the enemies.

He assured the Iranian nation that the Armed Forces will keep protecting them like a “sympathetic brother”, according to Tasnim.

The Iranian Armed Forces are an iron dam in the face of foes, the top commander emphasized.

No Army in the world enjoys popular support like in Iran, he underlined, saying the Army will stand by the nation amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and will “dedicate their lives” to the protection of the Iranian nation.

Paying tribute to all units serving in the Army’s Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense, and the Navy, General Mousavi said more than 11,000 forces from the Army medical division have rushed to help the Health Ministry personnel in the efforts to contain the coronavirus epidemic.

This year, the Army decided to carry out an alternative plan for military parades to prevent any gathering of people in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus and help the medical staff in the battle with COVID-19.

The Iranian Armed Forces set up a biodefense headquarters after the outbreak of coronavirus and have offered extensive services to treat the patients.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent a message of congratulation to Army personnel on Army day.

The greetings of the Leader was declared through General Mohammad Shirazi, the head of the command office of the commander-in-chief, to Army Commander Mousavi in a telephone call.

“The commander-in-chief said send my greetings to all Army personnel,” the Army public relations department said. 

In a Twitter message on Friday, President Hassan Rouhani also said, “Our Army is not a symbol of warlordism, but it is a symbol of support for the people and national interests. The greatness of your job as ‘defenders of the homeland’ and ‘defenders of health’ has been revealed more than ever.”

MH/PA