Ali Larijani

Ali Larijani is the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council – the highest body coordinating national security affairs, strategy, and defense policy in the country, including coordination among the military branches, intelligence, and the government. Born on June 3, 1958, in the city of Najaf in Iraq, to a religious family with significant political and social influence in Iran. After completing his secondary education, Larijani studied computer science and mathematics at Sharif University of Technology, and later continued to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Tehran. He began working at the Radio and Television Organization after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and immediately upon entering the position was appointed Director-General of Foreign Broadcasting and of the Central News Office of the organization. In 1981–1982, he served as Head of the Central News Unit of the broadcasting organization. Larijani served in 1982–1983 as Deputy for Parliamentary Affairs to the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare; in 1983 he served for a period as Deputy for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to the Minister of Communications; and in 1986–1989 he served as Deputy for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in the Ministry of the Revolutionary Guards. In 1989–1992, he was Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff of the Revolutionary Guards. In 1992, Larijani was elected Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and served in this position for more than a year, until 1993. In 1993, he was appointed by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, as Head of the Radio and Television Organization, and served in this position for 11 years, until 2004. In 2005, he was appointed Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. In 2008, he was elected as a member of the Iranian parliament representing the Qom district, and that same year was also elected Speaker of Parliament – a position he held continuously until 2020. During his tenure as Speaker, he became one of the leading figures in the country’s political system. After completing his term in parliament, he remained an influential figure in the political arena and also served as a member of an advisory body to Iran’s Supreme Leader. In 2025, Larijani returned to serve as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. In this role, he also represents Iran’s Supreme Leader before the council and serves as a senior advisor on security and foreign policy matters.