Who is Ali Shamkhani, the face of Iran’s wartime resistance?

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) published a detailed profile of Ali Shamkhani, identifying him as a central figure shaping Iran's security strategy during a period of intense military confrontation. The 70-year-old former Revolutionary Guard commander, a trusted adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, survived an Israeli strike on his Tehran home in June 2025. His defiant survival, captured in his quote "B******s, I am alive," has become symbolic of Iranian resistance. In 2026, following a 12-day war where the US and Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military sites, Khamenei confirmed Shamkhani as secretary of the newly established Supreme Defence Council, placing him at the core of Iran's wartime decision-making apparatus.

The council's primary task is to coordinate Iran's military and strategic responses as tensions with the United States reach a critical point. The profile contextualizes this within US President Donald Trump's recent State of the Union address, where he laid out a case for potential strikes, vowing not to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Shamkhani's role is therefore pivotal in a high-stakes standoff that could determine the future of the Islamic Republic as it approaches its 50th anniversary. His appointment signals a consolidation of hardline security policy and a preparation for prolonged confrontation, with the US threatening new air strikes from warships in the region if diplomatic negotiations fail to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.