Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed two personal representatives to a newly established Defence Council, the state broadcaster reported on Thursday, citing a decree from the 86-year-old ruler.
Former officers Ali Akbar Ahmadian and Ali Shamkhani will represent Khamenei in the central military body, the report said.
Ahmadian recently headed Iran’s Security Council. Following a leadership change, the former commander of the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is also set to take on additional government responsibilities in future.
Shamkhani, who survived an Israeli attack during the recent war, previously served as a senior adviser to Khamenei.
The Defence Council is tasked with centralizing and further developing strategies. Its members include representatives of state authorities, military commanders, and ministries such as defence, interior and intelligence.
The council formally reports to the Security Council. It was created after Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June. A similar body existed during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.