Iran marks anniversary of Iraq imposed war with military parades

Iran marks the 32nd anniversary of eight years of defense against Iraq’s invasion of the country under executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Press TV reports.

The ceremony opening the ‘Sacred Defense Week’ started on Friday morning with a major military parade at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in southern Tehran, our correspondent reported.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech at the ceremony in commemoration of the defense against the invasion.

“Our sacred defense was not defending a territory, a nation or a school of thought alone. It was well beyond that. It was defending human dignity, the rights of all nations and those of the oppressed people of the world,” President Ahmadinejad said.

He criticized the countries claiming to be advocates of human rights for supporting Saddam’s invasion of Iran and added their backing of the then Iraqi regime against Iran proved the arrogant powers’ false claims and their will to dominate the world.

Among high-ranking Iranian military officials present at the ceremony are Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi and Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad-Ali Ja’fari.

Iran’s latest achievements in defense and military hardware will also be showcased during the Friday ceremony.

Saddam Hussein invaded Iran on September 22, 1980 in a war that dragged on for eight years.

The Sacred Defense Week commemorates the braveries of the Iranian soldiers who fought in the 1980-1988 Iraqi-imposed war and defended their country from enemy aggressions.