Iran has announced the formation of a new "Supreme Defense Council" tasked with overseeing national affairs during wartime. The move comes amid ongoing regional tensions and internal calls for a more streamlined and authoritative military command structure.
According to Tasnim News, the council will be chaired by President Massoud Pezeshkian and include the following key figures:
Chief Justice Mohsen Ejei, head of the judiciary
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf
Two representatives of the Supreme Leader, yet to be named
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi
IRGC Commander-in-Chief, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour
Army (Artesh) Commander-in-Chief, Major General Amir Hatami
Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters (name not yet disclosed)
Minister of Intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib
The council will operate under the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It was established under Article 176 of the Iranian Constitution, which empowers the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) to create sub-councils for specialized functions, including defense.
Analysts view the council as a revival of a similar wartime body formed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, designed to provide cohesive leadership during the Iran-Iraq War. The modern iteration appears to be aimed at enhancing coordination across Iran’s military and intelligence arms in the event of conflict.
During Israel’s 12-day war on Iran in June, several senior military officials were reportedly killed in the initial hours of the conflict. In response, Khamenei assumed direct control of the military and oversaw the reconstitution of Iran’s chain of command.
The establishment of the new council may reflect a broader structural overhaul. Recent reports suggest that Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Khamenei, may soon be appointed Secretary of the SNSC.
Additionally, an op-ed published last week in Nour News, a media outlet closely aligned with the SNSC, called for the creation of a cross-sectoral “Strategic Command Center” to coordinate Iran’s military, diplomatic, and economic responses to external threats.