Iran marked its National Army Day on Friday with military parades taking place across the country. Attending a parade held in Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the development of the military would help Iran assert its views powerfully in the region and assist in engaging in dialogue with other countries for peace and stability.
He emphasized that without powerful military forces, Iran's enemies would attempt to destroy the country.
"At the beginning of the Iranian Revolution, we depended on foreign countries for all of our equipment. Now we are proud of our efforts in building and equipping our powerful armed forces. Progress has been made in all the equipment needed for the defense of our nation, and we now have strong naval, ground and air forces," said Pezeshkian.
In addition to formations of soldiers, Iran displayed dozens of unmanned reconnaissance and combat aircraft at the parade, as well as various types of weapons and equipment such as tanks, artillery and missiles.
Analysts believe that the military parades indicate Iran's determination to safeguard its national interests through its own capabilities while at the same time showcasing its military strength to the outside world, especially to the United States, ahead of the upcoming second round of Iran-U.S. negotiations on the nuclear issue.
The second round of U.S.-Iran indirect negotiations will be held in Rome on Saturday, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The two sides will discuss Tehran's nuclear issues and Washington's sanctions.
Iran holds military parades to mark National Army Day
