The Iranian army “created an epic by confronting the sinister schemes of the US, the descendants of the Pahlavi tyrant, and the separatists who wished for a divided Iran”, says Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

“In the same way that the drones of Iran’s Army strike the US and the Zionist murderers like lightning, its valiant navy is also ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies,” Khamenei said in a series of posts on X.

He said the army “is now courageously defending the land, water, and flag that belong to it”.

“Iran’s army is standing side by side with their comrades from the other armed forces, battling the two leading armies of disbelief and arrogance. And the Islamic Army has exposed those armies’ weakness and humiliation to the world,” he said.

Khamenei, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, issued the message on the anniversary of the army’s creation on Farvardin 29 (April 18, 2026).

Opinion

Editorial

Yemen offensive
Updated 04 Oct, 2026

Yemen offensive

The best option, therefore, is for Muslim and Arab states to help restore the Saudi-Houthi ceasefire.
Growth transition
04 Oct, 2026

Growth transition

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent call to move from stabilisation to growth, job creation and export ...
Protection at risk
04 Oct, 2026

Protection at risk

THE recent warning from UNHCR should alarm donor governments. Nearly 8.3m refugees and other forcibly displaced...
Talks, at last
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

Talks, at last

The government’s constant threats to suspend KP’s elected dispensation over a political protest have escalated hostilities considerably. In that context, both sides did well to start talking.
IWT’s future
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

IWT’s future

TOGETHER with the Kashmir dispute, India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has become the biggest...
Pained minds
03 Oct, 2026

Pained minds

IN Pakistan, mental healthcare is wedged between two extremes — a luxury or a stigma. Estimates cited by the...