Iran marks first anniversary of 12-day war, hails national unity against Israel
President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the resilience of Iran’s “patient” nation on the first anniversary of last year’s 12-day war with Israel, saying the country’s steadfastness had dashed the enemy’s “pipe dreams.”
In a message marking the anniversary of the conflict, Pezeshkian said Israel launched its attack based on “entirely mistaken calculations and an obvious delusion”, believing that by assassinating senior military commanders, targeting leading nuclear scientists and carrying out brutal attacks on infrastructure and residential areas, it could bend the will of the Iranian people.
“But what unfolded was the epic of a nation’s resistance, which, through faith, the wise guidance of the martyred Leader and the readiness of self-sacrificing armed forces, frustrated the enemy’s pipe dreams,” he said.
The president said Iranians stood as “one clenched fist and one beating heart” against Israel throughout the war and that their “comprehensive defense and sacred unity” thwarted the enemy’s plots and ultimately forced it to accept a ceasefire.
Pezeshkian also repeated a statement by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei that “preserving national cohesion, strengthening defense capabilities and maintaining public vigilance” were the most vital requirements for overcoming future challenges.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in a separate message that, following the example of those killed during the 12-day war, Iranians would stand firm to the last drop of blood for the country’s ultimate victory.
The 12-day war began with an Israeli attack on Iran on June 13 last year, but was met with a firm response from the Islamic Republic that led the enemy to seek a ceasefire.