TEHRAN – Senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), led by Major General Hossein Salami, renewed their pledge to the ideals of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, during a ceremony at his mausoleum in Tehran on Saturday.

The event marking the 46th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, underscored Iran’s enduring commitment to its revolutionary principles.

In an address, General Salami hailed the Islamic Republic’s founder’s post-revolutionary legacy, stating, “Imam Khomeini established sovereignty, built power, and in his first act, defeated the greatest empire in human history—the U.S.”

The IRGC Chief emphasized that the path charted by Imam Khomeini continues under the leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, whom he described as the “truthful successor” embodying the late leader’s vision.

“With the same steadfast heart, he stands firm in every battlefield,” Salami added, describing Iran’s leadership as unyielding in the face of external pressures.

The IRGC chief also highlighted the assertiveness of Iran’s armed forces, particularly referencing last year’s Operations True Promise I and II—a series of strikes successfully targeting the Israeli regime's positions—as evidence of Tehran’s strategic resolve.

“We struck the political heart of major powers: Israel, the eldest child of America. They tried to protect it, but we acted with rationality and wisdom,” he asserted.

Salami said Western threats at the time were “real” and not “merely psychological”, which stood in contract to Iran’s “calibrated and deliberate” actions. 

Echoing Salami’s sentiments, Ayatollah Khomeini’s grandson, Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, praised the IRGC’s role in safeguarding Iran’s sovereignty.

He lauded Operation True Promise II as “a historic achievement exemplifying capability fused with determination,” and warned that without self-reliance, Iran risks being trampled by foreign powers.

“If we lack strength, we will remain under the hooves of empires—or the tread of their tanks,” he declared, linking the IRGC’s founding to Imam Khomeini’s infusion of “courage into the Iranian people’s spirit.”