[president Khamene'i, the President, in a letter to Imam Khomeini wrote,
"The following suggestion stated orally and in writing by the undersigned read:
1. All the affairs related to the armed forces, the Army, Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Gendarmerie including operations and reinforcements, organizational and administrative affairs and others is to be entrusted to a single person;
2. The above-mentioned person to be designated by Your Eminence is duty-bound to manage the affairs closely and decisively; and
3. The martial court of the armed forces is duty-bound to obey Your Eminence's view and order in legally prosecuting the accused and implementing the penalties.
Taking into account all the dimensions, according to the undersigned, the only person deserving of taking charge of this important responsibility is Honorable Mr. Hashimi Rafsanjani."
In reply to this letter, Imam Khomeini decreed, thus:]
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
His Excellency Hujjat al-Islam Haj Shaykh `Ali Akbar Hashimi Rasanjani- may his graces last:
In view of the open confrontation of the world-devouring America with Islam and Iran, coordination of the East and the West and intransigent encounter of regional countries against the Islamic Revolution to sap the force of the victory of Islam, and by virtue of the suggestion of the esteemed President, the Honorable Hujjat al-Islam Khamene'i (may his graces last), I hereby designate you as the next Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with full authority. You are therefore responsible to implement the following orders:
1. Setting up of the Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters to prepare the ground for total unity;
2. Total coordination of the Army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Basij and the disciplinary forces in all areas of the sacred defense of Islam. It is evident that the acceptable and proper integration and merging of related and supporting offices and organizations will have a vital role in the coordination of all the armed forces;
3. Centralization of the military industry and necessary preparation for our sacred defense and integration of the reparatory, support, technical, engineering, fighting, educational, and research facilities, and the mobilization of all the facilities and equipments toward specific objectives are among the duties of the Commander-in-Chief;
4. Effort in utilizing in the best possible means the facilities and forces, and prevention of the utilization of the material and moral facilities on unnecessary cases, and in line with this, abolition or merging of overlapping and unnecessary organizations and formations;
5. Centralization of the cultural and propagation affairs of the armed forces in all areas;
6. Correct and decisive application of the martial court's laws at the time of war and penalization of the violator in every echelon; and
7. Taking proper benefit from the people's assistances in all aspects.
The legislative, executive and judicial powers are duty-bound to make use of all their facilities and policies for the requirements of the war.
Through revolutionary patience and fortitude, I ask the beloved people of Iran as well as the military and disciplinary forces to stand against the conspiracies of the World Arrogance vigorously, and they should be certain that victory belongs to those who persevere. Today's world is drown in foul plays and treacheries; and you, the soldiers of Islam, are in the peak of strength and nobility. I pray to all of you. May God be the Helper and Supporter of the combatants in His way. I beseech God, the Exalted, for your success. May God's peace and mercy be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini