TEHRAN – Iranian President Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi has participated in a ceremony held to commemorate the services rendered by wartime veterans, noting that praising veterans prevents “ignorance”. 

Speaking on Tuesday at the ceremony for praising the veterans of the Iran-Iraq war, also known as the Holy Defense, Ayatollah Raisi said, “The key to the immortality of the name of martyrs and veterans of the Holy Defense and Shrine Defenders and those who defend the principles of the Islamic Revolution is the fact that these dear ones went to the Heavens themselves,” according to a readout published by the Iranian presidency.

Underlining the need to discern which wars in history were holy, the president noted, “The system of the Islamic Republic has become holy because it is based on religion, teachings of religion, the Book and Traditions.”

He added, “In addition, the deeds of all individuals and sections must be holy in this system, and therefore everyone in his position must serve sincerely so that his deeds are also holy.”

The president said, “The permanence of our martyrs was due to the fact that they sacrificed everything for God, and that is why our late Imam Khomeini (RA), with that great personality, when came across them, said, 'I feel inferior and I envy your position'.”

Ayatollah Raisi said, “Everything that becomes holy becomes immortal, and therefore the way, message and method of the martyrs have forever immortalized in history.”

Ayatollah Raisi added, “It has to become clear to the society that this country is managed by a jurist who does not tell the people to go towards a destination, but he has reached the destination himself and calls others to the destination.”

Raisi stated, “Today we are facing modern ignorance which is equipped with a lot of science, technology, weapons and financial power and can impose the ugliest deeds as a value on society and in fact imposes its resources on the world. By praising martyrs, we can remove the mask from the face of this modern ignorance.”

He also took part in the national exhibition of “In Military Uniform”, a documentary narrated by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. 

President Raisi also issued a message congratulating the appointment of Brigadier General Pilot Hamid Vahedi as commander of the Air Force of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In a separate message, Ayatollah Raisi also congratulated the appointment of Brigadier General Pilot Aziz Nasirzadeh as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.