Appointment of Hojjat al-Islam Mohammad Araqi as Representative of the Guardianship in the IRGC

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Dear Hojjat al-Islam Mr. Mohammad Araqi (may his support be continuous)

With gratitude to Hojjat al-Islam Mr. Nouri and the acceptance of his resignation, I appoint you, who are among the esteemed, devout, and pious scholars, and an old fighter in the path of the Islamic Revolution, possessing high intellect, extensive experience, and deep familiarity with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and yourself from a family of knowledge, religion, and martyrdom, having spent much of your valuable life in service to this dear institution, as my representative in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a revolutionary force established on the basis of religion, piety, and revolutionary understanding and action. The fundamental duty of my representative therein is to continuously oversee the preservation and strengthening of this fundamental basis and to address violations and prevent them. What is necessary to undertake with diligence and strength includes the following matters:

1) Strengthen the ideological and political units so that, through planned methods and innovative approaches, they may deepen and expand spirituality, awareness, and Islamic knowledge within the Corps.

2) Activate the representative domain and its affiliated offices throughout the Corps, especially among combat units, and double their efficiency with strong and firm organization.

3) Oversee all appointments, promotions, selections, and the assignment of new responsibilities to commanders and officials in terms of religious and political qualifications, thereby ensuring the integrity of appointments.

4) Oversee the selection of all officials and personnel of information protection in terms of religious and political qualifications.

5) Actively participate in the educational centers of the Corps, such as the Imam Hussein University (peace be upon him), and fully implement the Islamic education and training program therein. All cultural affairs, news publications, and public relations of the Corps are the responsibility of the representation.

6) Establish connections with committed clergy, seminaries, and scientific and cultural centers of the country to provide intellectual and spiritual nourishment for the commanders, officials, and forces of the Corps, and focus on attracting, organizing, educating, and dispatching young students and scholars.

7) Keep the forces of the Corps and Basij prepared for active presence in the defense of the revolution through continuous revolutionary and political guidance and orientation, and constantly increase their awareness and insight.

8) The responsibility of preserving and safeguarding the Corps and Basij resistance forces from involvement in political groups and factions, according to the guidance of the great leader Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), is also with you.

9) All regulations and rules prepared and formulated within the Corps must be approved by the representation for compliance with religious standards.

It is necessary to remind that the command and representation are obliged, in serious understanding and coordination with each other—which, thanks be to God, has been the case so far—to observe the boundaries and limits of the assigned duties, and the command must fulfill its responsibilities with the necessary authority. Also, all officials and commanders are obliged to fully support the representative offices.

I pray to Almighty God for the success of all dear brothers in fulfilling the important responsibilities they have towards the sacred institution of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Seyyed Ali Khamenei

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