According to the decree, the secretary’s responsibilities include establishing and managing the council’s secretariat and overseeing its specialized programs, such as designing and strengthening comprehensive defense preparedness, developing mechanisms to counter emerging threats, coordinating other branches of the Islamic Republic’s power with the defense sector, setting frameworks for defense diplomacy, and organizing activities related to strategic communications and cognitive warfare within the defense domain.

The Defense Council was established following the 12-day war, in response to new threats, with the aim of enhancing coordination, cohesion, and efficiency in defense decision-making and boosting deterrence at the highest levels. Shamkhani has served as the Leader’s representative on the council since its inception.

Ali Shamkhani is a veteran and prominent commander of the Armed Forces. Since the early days of the Islamic Revolution, he has played an active role in the eight-year Sacred Defense war and held numerous key positions, including Commander of Khuzestan’s IRGC, Deputy Commander of the IRGC, Commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, Deputy for Intelligence and Operations of the Armed Forces General Staff, Commander of the Navy of both the Army and the IRGC, Minister of Defense, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Political Advisor to the Leader, contributing extensively to Iran’s defense and security sectors.