Establishment of the National Defense Council Approved

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Article 176 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the most important provisions related to national security and defense, establishing the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) as the highest coordinating body for the country's security and defense policies. This article was formulated to safeguard the Islamic Revolution, preserve territorial integrity, protect national sovereignty, and secure national interests, holding a special position in the country's legal and political structure.

According to this article, the Supreme National Security Council is chaired by the President and has 3 main responsibilities: First, determining the country's defense and security policies within the framework of the general policies set by the Supreme Leader; second, coordinating political, intelligence, social, cultural, and economic activities related to general defense and security measures; and third, utilizing the country's material and spiritual capacities to counter internal and external threats.

The composition of the council is designed to include all key pillars of power across executive, security, and military domains. Its members consist of the heads of the 3 branches of government, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the head of the Planning and Budget Organization, two representatives appointed by the Supreme Leader, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Intelligence, and, as needed, the relevant minister and the highest-ranking officials of the Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The council's resolutions become binding only after approval by the Supreme Leader, reflecting the institutional connection between the council and the leadership within the country's security structure.

The Defense Council, as the most important subsidiary council under the Supreme National Security Council, is stipulated in the note to Article 176. Its primary responsibility is to coordinate activities among the country's armed forces. The Defense Council comprises the heads of the three branches of government, the two representatives of the Supreme Leader in the SNSC, the Minister of Intelligence, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and the commanders of the IRGC, the Army, and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

The Defense Council is essentially intended for wartime or emergency security situations. In such circumstances, rapid and efficient coordination among the Army, the IRGC, and the country's security and executive institutions becomes critical. The Defense Council enables centralized decision-making and accelerates defense coordination, effectively serving as the operational arm of the Supreme National Security Council during crises. Under normal conditions, most security and defense decisions are made within the SNSC itself, but with the escalation of threats or the outbreak of war, the Defense Council, as a smaller and more specialized body, can expedite decision-making and the implementation of defense policies.

The Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council announced on August 3, the approval of the establishment of the National Defense Council by the Supreme National Security Council within the framework of Article 176 of the Constitution.