Iran will respond to any attack with ‘iron fist’ : Supreme Leader

TEHRAN, Nov.12 (MNA) -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that any attack on Iran will be met with a strong slap and an iron fist. The Leader made the remarks in an address at a graduation ceremony for cadets of Imam Ali (AS) Military Academy held in Tehran on Thursday. “If the thought of invasion against the Islamic Republic of Iran crosses anybody’s mind, he must ready himself to receive a strong slap and an iron fist from the Army, Sepah (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps), and Basij, and, in one word, from the great nation of Iran,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated. He added, “The enemies, particularly the United States and its puppets and the Zionist regime, should be aware that the Iranian nation will never invade any country or nation, but it will respond to any invasion or threat with full force in a way that would break up the aggressors and invaders from within.” “The strong nation of Iran is not a kind of nation that would just sit idly by and look at threats of materialistic paper tigers, which are worm-eaten,” he said. Ayatollah Khamenei also said, “The strong structure of the system of the Islamic Republic, national unity, and the bonding of the hearts of the Iranian people is the most important deterring factor, and everyone is responsible to safeguard the strong structure of the system and to strengthen it.” “Any country or nation, which can prove that it is prepared to stand firm and passionately defend its independence, identity, causes, and existence is always respected,” he added. “In a world where unfortunately the relations among nations and countries are determined based on reliance on the power of bayonets and weapons, and bullies are making efforts to determine the destinies of nations with iron fists, only the nation, which maintains their defense preparedness, will be immune from harm,” the Leader observed. The Leader also reviewed units of the armed forces on parade.