Iran marks Army Day with nationwide parades, honors military legacy
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National Army Day was established by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Ruhollah Khomeini, in April 1979, amid a campaign of hostile propaganda aimed at weakening the military.
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Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian (2nd L) watches a military parade during a ceremony marking the country’s annual Army Day in Tehran on April 18, 2025 (AFP)
Iran commemorated National Army Day on Friday with large-scale military parades across the country, showcasing its latest military advancements.
Senior government and military officials attended the official ceremony inTehran, where the main parade took place.
National Army Day was established by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Ruhollah Khomeini, in April 1979.
In a historic letter, Imam Khomeini expressed strong support for the Iranian Army and instructed its forces to hold nationwide parades each year on April 18 to demonstrate their readiness and capabilities.
The decision came amid a campaign of hostile propaganda aimed at weakening the Army following its success in suppressing unrest and separatist movements in the early days of the revolution.
The Iranian Army and Navy staged a grand parade, showcasing a range of military advancements.
Among the featured equipment were the:
- Fat'h 360 pinpoint missile
- Tiam tank
- S-300 air defense system
- Mohajer 2 and 6 multipurpose drones
- Karrar drone
- Arash 1 drone
- Variety of army vehicles
Army continues to frustrate enemy by thwarting its plots 46 years after revolution: Pezeshkian
During Friday’s ceremony, President Masoud Pezeshkian paid tribute to the army’s pivotal role in defending Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, stating that the Army "interrupted the enemy's sleep."
He recalled efforts by adversaries in the lead-up to the revolution to prevent the Army from siding with revolutionary forces, noting that the Army ultimately defied those expectations and aligned with the people.
Pezeshkian also highlighted the Army’s sacrifices during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988, stating that approximately 48,000 Army personnel were killed while resisting the invasion by Saddam Hussein’s regime, which was backed by foreign powers.
"Had it not been for the Iranian army, the enemy would have sought to conquer the country," the Iranian president asserted, adding that, 46 years after the revolution, the Army continues to foil enemy plots and defend the nation’s sovereignty.
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