Larijani appointed secretary of Iran Supreme National Security Council
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appoints Ali Larijani to head Iran’s top security post as Tehran revives its Defense Council amid rising regional tensions.
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Former Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani speaks with media after registering his name as a candidate for the June 28 presidential elections at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has named Ali Larijani, a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, as the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Larijani previously served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 15, 2005, to October 20, 2007, and later held the position of Iran's parliament speaker from 2008 until 2020.
On Sunday, Iran revived its Iraq war-era National Defense Council to centrally review defense plans and boost armed forces' capabilities, with both this council and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) being headed by the country's president.
The official statement noted that the Defense Council will be chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian and will include the heads of the three branches of power, senior commanders of the armed forces, and ministers from relevant departments.
The council will focus on evaluating defense strategies and enhancing military capabilities through a centralized, coordinated approach.
The formation of this council aligns with Article 176 of Iran's constitution, which authorizes the Supreme National Security Council to create specialized subsidiary bodies when necessary to fulfill national security requirements. The council is anticipated to commence operations shortly, marking a move toward formalizing strategic defense coordination amid evolving regional dynamics.
Iran's decision to reactivate the Defense Council follows the recent Israeli war on Iran, which highlighted gaps in rapid, coordinated military response systems, prompting Tehran to strengthen its deterrence posture and reinforce national sovereignty through this institutional framework.
On August 2, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, announced that the country is executing a multi-phase preparedness initiative involving short, medium, and long-term defense strategies while emphasizing the need for complementary civilian-sector planning to bolster critical infrastructure and national resilience.
![Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi during a speech in Sanaa, Yemen, August 7, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)\](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/8/7/a2ede8ef-8a7d-46a0-91a5-69a216c3ece6/1.jpg?format=webp "Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi during a speech in Sanaa, Yemen, August 7, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)\")