Shortly before his death, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini writes to his successor, Ali Khamenei, that the ruler of the Islamic republic holds power comparable to that of the Prophet Muhammad. Because of this, it is permissible to take any measures deemed necessary to preserve the Islamic state - even measures which violate Islamic law.
Thus, the leader of the Islamic state should be considered above the law when acting in defense of the state.
