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News ID: 84104
Publish Date : 21 October 2020 - 21:49
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Islamic Iran Fully Prepared to Thwart Any Would-Be Aggressors



By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

"Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power and war-horses, awing thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know, but Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the way of Allah will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.” – (Holy Qur’an 8:60)
Yesterday, the joint air defence exercise, codenamed ‘Guardians of the Horizon of Velayat-99’, started in Iran, by the air defence units of the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), in order to test the readiness for defending the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic against any would be aggressor.
The spectacular exercises being held over a wide area of the country will test the prowess of various types of Iranian-made missile systems, radars, electronic warfare equipment, and communication equipment to counter aerial threats in low, medium and high altitudes.
Iran’s impressive fighter jets, bombers and drones are to demonstrate their capabilities during the war games, in accordance with the guidelines of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for safeguarding the country, its people, their faith, and revolutionary values, at a time when mischief-mongers are trying to destabilize the region.
As a matter of fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran is the cynosure of the eyes of the independent-minded people and governments of the neighbourhood desirous of protecting their countries from the US and its clients, such as the Zionists, and the terrorists.  
The question of defence occupies a special place in Islamic law. In fact, a progressive and compact system cannot be complete without such provisions.
Owing to its misinterpretation by ill-informed persons, the inclusion of the question of Jihad in Islamic teachings has given rise to much hostile propaganda and has provided a pretext to its opponents to say that Islam is a religion of force.
Nothing could be further from the truth. As the nature and aim of defence become clear, not only the hollowness of such criticism becomes obvious, but also the depth, purity and dynamism of the teachings of Islam and their capacity to serve human society in varying circumstances becomes evident.
Jihad literally means effort and striving. In Islamic sources this word has been used in the sense of every kind of intellectual, physical, cultural, industrial, economic, financial, moral, and artistic efforts for the promotion of divine and human objectives.
The fight against the mischievous elements that consider the spread of a system of justice and truth a threat to their devilish interests and take a stand to exterminate it, is unavoidable.
So long as such harmful tendencies exist, the supporters of truth and justice have no other choice but to defend their objectives and own existence, the first and foremost of which is their homeland, and faith.
In fact, war is not desired by true believers, but is forced upon them and against their will; hence Islam’s emphasis on keeping the defence readiness to thwart the evil plots of the enemies of humanity.
The Holy Qur’an, which commands Muslims to be ready for defence, also says that if the enemy lays down arms and shows peaceful intention, the Muslims have no right to be hostile to them.
Perhaps no other religion has expressed its peaceful disposition in such clear terms. The most important aim of defence in Islam is protection of the Divine system of truth and justice and the preservation of its outstanding features.
In other words, whenever national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity are endangered, it is the duty of Muslims to stand up to the enemies and defend themselves.
Though expenditure on armaments is considered least desirable and most unproductive, Islam has considered it not only essential in the case of need, but also has named it financial Jihad.
Islam, however, forbids every resort to inhuman means of fighting such as microbial warfare, use of nuclear weapons, destruction of cattle, crops and irrigation system, or the killing and injuring unarmed personnel.
The Islamic Republic of Iran thus fully follows the instructions of the holy Qur’an and the practical model set by Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his First Infallible Heir, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) in matters of defence, and on no account will show any lax attitude in improving its defences.