TEHRAN Elaborating on the Islamic form of the government as understood by the Constitution, substitute leader of the Tehran Friday prayer Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi stressed the need for public military training as a way to guarantee the national defense capacity, independence and territorial integrity of the Islamic system.
Addressing thousands of worshippers gathered at the Tehran University campus for the congregational weekly prayer, Ayatollah Yazdi commented on the element of "the national defense" and stated that the national defense means that in the Islamic state all the people are duty bound to defend the independence, territorial integrity and the system.
Furthermore he commented on the element of "the independence" and pointed out that should some be after making the Islamic state of Iran dependent upon the United States, European countries or other big powers, the officials and people must not allow them to realize their evil objectives.
The people should stand firm against those who want the Islamic Iran to be dependent upon foreign powers, Ayatollah Yazdi remarked.
As for the necessity of protecting the territorial integrity in the Islamic state, the ayatollah said a palpable example of this was the mobilization of the youths and the armed forces to defend Iran's territorial integrity during the eight-year sacred defense.
Referring to some points of the Constitution as regards the need for the public military training in the Islamic state, Ayatollah Yazdi pointed out that in such a system the government is duty-bound to provide the public military training for the society members so that they could defend the Islamic system in critical conditions.
In connection with "the week of the sacred defense", he said the most important objective followed in this week was making the people acquainted with the fact that they should be vigilant and alert vis-a-vis the conspiracies designed by the enemies of the Islamic system.
The ayatollah marked the memory of the martyrs of the sacred defense and called on the people to respect their ideals. He further commented on the great achievements gained by the Islamic Republic of Iran in various areas in the post-revolution era.
In the second sermon of the Friday prayer, Ayatollah Yazdi warned the students that they should keep vigilant so that one could not use them as an instrument to achieve their objectives.
The ayatollah congratulated the nation on the occasion of the start of the educational year and said research works, programs to promote unity, national security, stability and meetings to mark the Year of Imam Ali (AS) as well as programs to prevent university students from being subjected to an instrumental use by some in the country were among the programs the Ministry of Science is to implement over the new academic year.
Out of 1.5 million college students in the country, only 9 percent are members to the political camps, he said.
New platforms have emerged now in the country and some launch ideas in this atmosphere of freedom but one should not think all they say are authentic and valid, he said.
Commenting on "the Day of Woman", he said the Islamic Revolution has rendered the greatest service to the women in the society since it has prepared the grounds for their growth and progress.
He protested against some human rights activists who criticize Iranian officials for asking the women to respect the Islamic dress code (hijab) and to wear chador.
This is while, he added, in some states supported by the big powers the women are deprived from right to vote and no one blame these countries.
(IRNA)