Army Chief: Iranian nation will never surrender to enemies

The chief of the Iranian Army has called on the public to participate in a "historic and epic" farewell ceremony for martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, declaring that the Iranian nation will never surrender to its enemies.

In a statement on Thursday, Major General Amir Hatami described the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei at the hands of the US and Israel as a "great tragedy" for the Iranian nation, Muslims worldwide, and free people everywhere.

He said the enemies mistakenly believed they could break the will of the Iranian people through the crime, but instead found a nation more determined and united than ever.

"The martyred Leader and Commander-in-Chief, throughout his honorable life, presented a complete model of courage, insight, and steadfastness against the excesses of global arrogance to all free people of the world," the statement read.

"This great mujahid, until his final moments, safeguarded the path of resistance with courage and insight and never wavered from the path of truth," he added.

The Army chief urged the public to participate in the farewell and funeral ceremonies to renew their pledge to the martyred Leader's path and the ideals of the Islamic Revolution.

He said their presence will send a clear message to enemies and remind global arrogance that the Leader's path will continue with the "steel will" of the Iranian nation under the wise leadership of his successor, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

"The Iranian nation will never surrender to enemies and will stand firm until the end," Hatami declared, inviting the public, families of martyrs, veterans, and all followers of the resistance to bid farewell to the martyred Leader and his companions.

Iran’s top general warns US, Israel against ‘miscalculation’ ahead of Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral

The commander of Iran’s highest operational command unit says the Armed Forces stand ready to give a harsh response to any "miscalculation" by the US, Israel and their allies.

Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia announced that military units have been reinforced at land and maritime borders ahead of the funeral ceremony for the martyred Leader.

He said the Army's responsibilities for the event include securing the borders, serving pilgrims, and performing ceremonial functions.

Border security includes enhanced army units at land and maritime borders, intensified naval surveillance, and increased air patrols. Air defense forces are also monitoring the country's air traffic with full coordination, he noted.

The Army will also provide services to pilgrims and handle ceremonial arrangements as part of its responsibilities, the spokesman added.

The multi-day funeral, expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners in the largest funeral in the country’s history, will begin on Saturday with the body lying in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla prayer complex.

The ceremonies will continue through Monday with a funeral procession along a 10-kilometer route, followed by rites in the holy city of Qom on July 7, Iraq on July 8 and burial in Mashhad on July 9.

The ceremonies will also extend to Iraq, where condolence rites will be held in Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf.

Ayatollah Khamenei was martyred at the age of 86 at his compound in central Tehran on February 28, the very first day of the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

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