TEHRAN - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has said that martyrs serve the Islamic society before and after their martyrdom and that their message should be perceived by everyone.

The Leader made the remarks during a meeting with members of Congress of Commemoration of the Martyrs of Qazvin Province on November 5.

Ayatollah Khamenei said martyrs promote spirituality among the nation.

“Martyrs promote spiritual life in the country. Spiritual life means being spirited, having a sense of identity, it is being purposeful and pursuing goals in life; it means moving towards ideals, never stopping; this is what the martyrs do; this is what the Quran teaches us,” he said, according to khamenei.ir.

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the role of the commemorators and the martyrs’ families in conveying the message of the martyrs to the nation. 

“What you do, or the families of the martyrs do, or all those who commemorate the martyrs in different cities - like Qazvin, Birjand, and other regions - is to convey this voice to us; it is important for us to hear this voice,” the Leader insisted.

Calling for comprehending the message of the martyrs, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “If we hear the message of the martyrs, inclinations towards East and West, disbelief and incredulity will perish. Spirits will thrive and the movement will be a strong movement.”

Over 200,000 Iranians - soldiers and civilians as well - were martyred during Saddam Hussein’s war against Iran in the 1980s. Even after the war, hundreds of Iranian security forces have been martyred in the fight against drug traffickers and terrorist groups, especially ISIS, also called Daesh.