Iran's president appoints Ali Shamkhani to lead new Defense Council

Friday 06 February 2026 - 15:40

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran's president appoints Ali Shamkhani to lead new Defense Council

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appointed Ali Shamkhani, a trusted senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and former navy admiral, as secretary of the newly created Supreme Defense Council. The presidential decree, reported by Fars and Tasnim news agencies, formalizes Shamkhani's role after he already served as Khamenei's representative on the council.

A seasoned security figure, Shamkhani led Iran's Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023 and currently sits on the Expediency Discernment Council. He suffered serious injuries in June 2025 when an Israeli airstrike hit his Tehran home during the intense 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which also involved US support for Israeli operations targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites.

The Defense Council emerged in August 2025 directly from that conflict's aftermath, approved by both Khamenei and Pezeshkian to centralize military decision-making. Chaired by the president, it includes heads of Iran's executive, judicial, and legislative branches alongside top armed forces commanders and key ministry officials. Its mandate focuses on streamlining defense strategies, enhancing combat readiness, and coordinating crisis responses from full-scale war to leadership transitions.

This move signals Tehran's determination to consolidate power amid escalating tensions, particularly as US-Iran nuclear talks unfold in Oman. Shamkhani, known as a hardliner critical of the West, recently warned of retaliatory strikes deep into Tel Aviv and regional war if attacked. The timing, just before negotiations with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, underscores Iran's dual-track approach of diplomacy and military preparedness.

Shamkhani's extensive background includes serving as defense minister and navy commander, positioning him to drive the council's mission of swift, unified defense responses. Analysts see the appointment as preparation for potential confrontations, with the council designed to cut through bureaucratic delays during national emergencies.