Weeks After Israel-US Strikes, Iran Sets Up New National Defense Council

Weeks after Iran’s deadly 12-day air war with Israel and the US in June, Tehran has established a new Supreme National Defense Council to boost its military preparedness and streamline defense planning, The Associated Press reported on Monday, quoting state media.

The decision was reportedly made by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, its top security authority, and comes after what officials called Tehran’s most serious military challenge since the devastating Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

According to the AP report, the newly-formed council will be headed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and will bring together high-ranking officials across government branches, including the speaker of Parliament, the judiciary chief, and top military commanders. While exact membership wasn’t fully detailed, the defense, intelligence, and foreign ministries are expected to be included.

A report from Iranian state media quoted the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council as saying, “The new defence body will review defence plans and enhance the capabilities of Iran’s armed forces in a centralised manner.”

A Response to Escalating Conflict

Iran’s move comes just weeks after the Israeli and the US airstrikes targeted key nuclear and military installations across the country, reportedly killing nearly 1,100 people, including senior Iranian military commanders and top nuclear scientists.

While both Israel and Iran have traded blows covertly for years, the Gaza war dramatically intensified those operations. Since late 2023, Israel is believed to have assassinated influential leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas – regional militant groups backed by Iran – while Tehran responded with missile strikes that Israel said were mostly intercepted.

The BBC reported that Iran’s retaliatory attacks and Israel’s continued targetting of Iranian proxies-linked to its so called ‘Axis of Resistance’ led to a “brief but intense military flare-up” in June. A ceasefire was declared shortly after the attacks.

Historical Echoes

Notably, Iran hasn’t formed a defense council of this kind since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, which killed nearly a million people. 

Analysts say the formation of new Iranian council suggests Tehran is gearing up for future military scenarios in all seriousness.

Nuclear Tensions Still Loom

Israel accuses Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists that its program is for peaceful purposes. 

However, the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recently found Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations, a leaked report stated.