About Strategic Council on Foreign Relations

2014/12/07 | About SCFR

The Strategic Council on Foreign Relations (SCFR), which holds a strategic perspective to the issue of foreign relations, is a think tank and advisory body to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. It was established in June 2006, by His Eminence’s decree, to engage and assume a role in major policymaking, open up new horizons in the era of foreign relations, benefit from the elite, and develop indicators with the aim of realizing objectives of the Iran Outlook Plan. It was chaired by Seyed Kamal Kharrazi while Ali Akbar Velayati, Ali Shamkhani, Mohammad Shariatmadari, and Mohammad Hossein Taremi were appointed as the SCFR members.

The 2nd term of the SCFR began on June 17, 2014, when the Supreme Leader appointed new members, urging them to play a more effective role in the sphere of foreign relations. The new members are Seyed Kamal Kharrazi, Saeed Jalili, Ebrahim Sheibani, Seyyed Yahya Rahim Safavi, Mahdi Mostafavi, Mohammad Hossein Taremi, and Sorena Sattari.

Objectives and Functions
  • Open up new horizons, and set up long-term, midterm, and short-term strategies on foreign relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in political, economic, defense-security, and scientific-cultural fields;
  • Observe advances and barriers facing the implementation of strategies and content of the Outlook Plan;
  • Outline foreign relations strategies and strategic policies through holding consultations with experts and the elite;
  • Establish policy and culture, and enlighten the public’s opinion on the country’s foreign relations strategies by exploring popular capacities, media facilities, and modern means;
  • Communicate with natural and legal entities, international bodies, and foreign counterparts;
  • Invite incumbent, previous foreign officials, and authorities to hold discussions on strategic foreign relations issues.
Structure

SCFR consists of a head, 5 Commissions, and a Secretariat. Seyed Kamal Kharrazi heads the SCFR, appointed by the Supreme Leader.

Its commissions are:

  • Political Commission, chaired by Saeed Jalili;
  • Economic Commission, chaired by Ebrahim Sheibani;
  • Defence-Security Commission, chaired by Seyyed Yahya Rahim Safavi;
  • Scientific-Cultural Commission, chaired by Mahdi Mostafavi;
  • Science and Technology Commission, chaired by Sorena Sattari;

Strategies are developed in the SCFR commissions.

The Secretariat is responsible for completing the expert-related cycle of activities, drafting the SCFR enactments, and providing appropriate scientific research and services to the SCFR and its Commissions. At the same time, its domain of responsibility includes communicating with natural and legal entities, state bodies, organizations, public non-state institutes, pundits, experts, and academic and religious school elite, while exploring the expert-related products, information, and research available in Iran, as well as other countries. The Secretariat is responsible for having an effective and updated treasury of information composed of significant expert-level research and reports conducted in Iran or other countries. Seyed Abbas Araghchi is heading the Secretariat.

Activities

The main and most significant activity of the council, in recent years, has been drafting and submitting various foreign relations strategies in approved fields to the Leader. Other activities of the council include organizing and hosting specialized speeches by distinguished foreign thinkers and officials, as well as holding various strategic meetings, with the participation of senior experts, by the five commissions of the council and the secretariat.

Specialized Library

A Specialized Library on strategic subjects has been established for the use of elites, experts, and the country’s scientific community. It holds a significant number of resources available for all.

Website

On the website, besides the SCFR news, you can find analysis and viewpoints of the country’s scientific community, analysts, and the elite, on strategic foreign relations issues. Dissemination of these views reflects the views of respected authors or interviewees and does not constitute an official position of the Council.

Building 1 Address: No. 1, Kashani Alley, Martyr Keshvardoost St. Tehran

Telephone Number: +98-2164413131, +98-2164413176

Fax: +98-2166466270

Building 2 Address: No. 12, 1st Behestan St. Pasdaran St. Tehran

Telephone Number: +98-2122546736, +98-2122546355

Fax: +98-2122775315

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