Statements in Meeting with Command Headquarters Managers

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

First, I would like to thank all the brothers, especially Mr. Firouzabadi, who are engaged in their valuable services at the Command Headquarters, for their efforts, sincerity, and devotion.

Today, we have mainly arranged the program to visit the Command Headquarters and its personnel at their workplace for two reasons: Firstly, to express my gratitude directly for your hard work. Secondly, to clarify the fundamental mission of the Command Headquarters to all the armed forces. We want all individuals and organizations of the armed forces, particularly the Army and the Revolutionary Guards, to correctly understand the missions of this headquarters and align themselves with the policies we have outlined for it.

In our country, we have two major combat organizations: the Army of the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Perhaps similar structures exist in other countries. It is not that our current situation is unique in the world; rather, similar structures exist elsewhere. In any case, we observe and plan for ourselves, without concern for others.

These two organizations each have distinct missions. Therefore, it is clear that the existence of both organizations is necessary; if they did not exist, their missions would remain unfulfilled, and the other organization could not perform their tasks. What are these missions? I have mentioned them briefly and in general terms, and they have been thoroughly discussed and formulated here at the Command Headquarters. The finalized version will be approved and communicated.

When we have two major combat organizations, a center for coordination, resolving conflicts, and preserving the rights of each with regard to the other is necessary. Just as each organization has a center for coordinating its various sections; the Army has the Joint Staff, and the Revolutionary Guards have the General Staff or Central Staff. The center that creates coordination between the two main military organizations of the Islamic Republic is this Command Headquarters. This is one of the main objectives of this headquarters, which has been communicated, and based on it, this headquarters has undertaken and continues to undertake many tasks.

The second objective is the general guidance of the armed forces. This is a task that was never carried out in the past by the headquarters and was done elsewhere, such as in the third and fifth departments, each with missions that could somewhat align with this general guidance. The armed forces did not perform this task; rather, a higher center — which I do not wish to specify by name — carried out these tasks.

We have a country with very prominent characteristics. These characteristics include a motivated nation, courageous people, a land ready for development and prosperity, and a position that is influential in the stability of a vast region — indeed, in the stability of the entire world — and a system based on a modern religious and completely new thought.

The thought we present to the world today is very new and based on religion. The world and materialistic analyses and perspectives were accustomed to separating modernism from divine and spiritual thoughts and considering them as opposites. Anything religious and spiritual — whether Islamic or non-Islamic — was considered outdated and reactionary. Anything labeled as new and modern was assumed to be anti-religious and non-spiritual. This was a mistaken understanding of religions.

Today, on the contrary, the social justice we propose and the human rights as Islam presents them are far superior to what the democratic world proposes. Our social justice is more advanced than the so-called socialist world. Our human rights and individual freedoms are more advanced than what is proposed in the so-called democratic world, and the world acknowledges this. Do not pay attention to the propaganda, radios, and magazines that are paid to say and write things and constantly repeat the word 'reactionary'; they are not worth mentioning or considering.

The most reactionary systems in the world are those that do not even have a nominal parliament where people's representatives can gather and express opinions; because their system is decayed and cannot tolerate such actions. These same systems without parliaments and reactionary ones sometimes call the Islamic Republic reactionary and our system a system of reactionary clerics!! It is clear that these statements are dictated and form a policy that the entire world has developed based on a thought and propaganda foundation to accuse the Islamic Republic of backwardness and being reactionary. Very well, let them say it; it is not a matter of discussion. We look at the realities. We consider what they themselves believe in and have reached. In some comments, it becomes quite clear what today's thinkers and prominent politicians of the world think about the Islamic Republic. The opinions are entirely positive.

Such a system with such a country and people, and with the possibilities for defense and threats, must consider all issues with a long-term perspective and design and consider the overall behavior of the armed forces. Here, it is this Command Headquarters — and not other agencies — that must undertake such a task. We must prepare this headquarters for this purpose, which is even more important than the primary purpose. This is general and comprehensive guidance.

Armed organizations — like other organizations — often think, move, and act towards their organizational goals and immediate objectives. It is you who must even extend their perspectives and look to the long term, design, and continuously guide them to move towards what has been planned in training, organization, and practical designs and in everything else. Naturally, to achieve these two major objectives, you must also have a mechanism to see whether these resolutions are correctly implemented in the armed forces or not. This is also considered a third objective, and you must prepare the headquarters for this purpose.

The Command Headquarters is not a repetitive and parallel entity to the Joint Staff of the Army and the General Staff of the Revolutionary Guards — whether before or after them. As stated, it is something that, in terms of hierarchy, is superior and beyond those two staffs and, in terms of mission, has a completely different mission from them. Of course, those two staffs are each parallel for their own organization, with the specific nature that the Joint Staff of the Army and the General Staff of the Revolutionary Guards have. With this arrangement, the brothers must, God willing, plan the work.

As Dr. Firouzabadi pointed out, I am regularly and systematically informed of the work of this headquarters, and as I announced at the beginning, all the elements present in this headquarters are military elements. In a sense, we must say we have no civilians; that is, individuals are either from the Army, the Revolutionary Guards, or the Basij. The insistence I had on designing a specific common uniform for the Basijis does not mean we want to create a third organization. No, do not misunderstand. The Basij is not a third military organization alongside the Revolutionary Guards and the Army. The Basij is the Basij; meaning that the masses of people are mobilized by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in every era for military work. We want to honor this subject that a civilian performs a designated task for a military person; while he is neither from the Army nor the Revolutionary Guards. We want to pay special attention to this; therefore, we said that a common uniform should be designated for the Basijis.

Of course, this uniform is not something that everyone who is a Basiji must necessarily wear; because people from merchants, administrative staff, students, and even housewives are members of the Basij. It is not necessary for all of them to use this uniform in all situations. The purpose is that in specific cases, which will be determined according to the regulations, this uniform should be worn and identify the Basiji person — whether in ceremonies or in some other centers.

We hope that God grants all of you gentlemen success and guides and assists you so that, God willing, you can guide the armed forces in the best possible way.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings