Identification and Clarification of the Indicators of an Ideal Military Force from the Perspective of Imam Khomeini (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)

Military forces are considered one of the most important defensive pillars of any country, and governments often define specific indicators for their ideal military force. Imam Khomeini (May Allah have mercy on him), within the framework of "defensive management" during the war and throughout the Sacred Defense period, presented various views and opinions. The characteristics and indicators of an ideal military force are among the most significant areas that Imam Khomeini focused on during the Sacred Defense. This research aims to examine and identify the most important concepts and defensive strategies of Imam Khomeini regarding the "indicators of an ideal military force" during the Sacred Defense period. The research method is a mixed content analysis (qualitative and quantitative), employing both comparative and inductive approaches to analyze the texts of Imam Khomeini during the Sacred Defense. The findings indicate that, from Imam Khomeini's perspective, the indicators of an ideal military force include nine concepts: faithful and committed, self-sacrificing and martyr-seeking, relying on God and divine support, courageous, resilient and steadfast, promoting unity and avoiding division, trustworthy to the people, non-affiliation with political groupings, and adherence to military hierarchy. A quantitative analysis of these concepts across the six phases of the Sacred Defense shows that faith and the effort for unity were the most prevalent. Additionally, the fourth phase recorded the highest frequency of most concepts. Ultimately, Imam Khomeini’s defensive strategy in this context was based on three categories: "spiritual-divine indicators," "social-organizational indicators," and "individual indicators." The results suggest that Imam Khomeini emphasized the spiritual aspect of military forces, valuing characteristics such as courage, self-sacrifice, faith, resilience, and sincerity as more crucial for achieving victory and the ultimate goal than mere military equipment