TEHRAN- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has commended the martyrs who sacrifice their lives to ensure the security of the people, stating that their altruism is an example of moral characteristics that the terms "martyr" and "martyrdom" denote.

The statement was made by the Leader on October 30 during an address to those attending the second National Congress for Martyrs of Qom Province.

The congress was held to remember those who were martyred during Saddam Hussein’s war against Iran in the 1980s.

A congress was also held in the city of Qom on Thursday (November 17) to commemorate the province’s martyrs. Ayatollah Khamenei's speech was broadcast during the event.

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined at the meeting that it is necessary to preserve the martyrs' legacy and hear their message.

“We are in need of the martyrs’ messages. We should not assume, ‘Well, everyone knows the messages of the martyrs.’ No, not everyone knows them. The new generations must be informed about what happened in the past, the motives, their thoughts, and such things. Activities that convey a message have this great benefit,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. 

According to the Leader, the finest language for preserving the memory and message of the martyrs is the language of art. 

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned Martyr Mahdi Zeinoddin, one of the notable martyrs of the province who rose to leadership at a young age. 

“This martyr demonstrated remarkable talent, courage, insight, and inventiveness on the battlefield as well as in the realms of ethics, religion, and Islamic concerns. These must be demonstrated, and only the language of art is capable of conveying them,” the Leader pointed out.

In another section of his address, the Leader portrayed martyrdom as an accord with God that protects the interests of the country. “So, on one hand, martyrdom is a bargain with God. And on the other hand, it protects the interests of the country. The interests of the country and the people are secured by martyrdom for the cause of God.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also discussed how martyrs, martyrdom, and the awareness of the country are components that foster national identity. 

He went on to say that the Iranian people had acquired grandeur in the eyes of the world because of their devotion to martyrdom. "The Iranian people have achieved greatness in the eyes of those who heard about these martyrdoms. Whenever any news about them spilled out, it produced grandeur for our nation."

The Leader compared martyrdom to a rosary bead and defined it as the source of unity among ethnic groups inside the country. 

“A martyr who was from the north or one who was from the east of the country were all in the same line. They were martyred for a common purpose, for the honor of Islam, for the greatness of the Islamic Republic, and for strengthening Iran. This is what connects these tribes, cities, and regions together. This is the nature of martyrdom.”