In a statement, the army said Operation Mersad — the 1988 counter-offensive that crushed an incursion by Iranian opposition forces at the end of the Iran-Iraq war — was a symbol of Iran's strength and the solidity of its armed forces in defence of the country.
The statement recalled the "flood-like presence of the people and the armed forces on the front line," crediting the late Major General Ali Sayyad Shirazi's "intelligent strategy" for the victory. It said the operation demonstrated that "all of dear Iran would stand against any aggression and we will bury enemies beyond the borders of mighty Iran."
The army said its forces, together with other branches of the armed forces, had shown their "endogenous power, born of national zeal and faith in the divine promise of victory" in the 12-day war, the Ramadan war and the Battle of Hormuz. It said the military remains on the front line, "targeting the depth of the enemy's front for any possible movement."
"With open eyes, more prepared and alert than ever, we stand against any threat and plot by the enemies," the statement said, pledging that the army would "not retreat one iota" from its duty to protect Iran's independence and territorial integrity and would respond to aggression with "the most severe and crushing strikes."
MNA