TEHRAN, — Iran's parliament is scheduled to debate an urgent bill on Sunday, November 15, that would remove the legal requirement for the country's Intelligence Minister to be a senior Islamic cleric. If approved, the change would allow a non-cleric to lead the Ministry of Intelligence for the first time since its establishment in 1983.
The proposed amendment follows the March 2026 killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an Israeli airstrike. The ministry has remained without a permanent minister for nearly eight months and is currently operating under an acting chief whose identity has not been publicly disclosed.
Proposed Changes to Intelligence Ministry
Under a law introduced in 1983, the intelligence minister must hold the religious qualification of ijtihad, which allows a senior Islamic scholar to independently interpret Islamic law. Since the ministry began operations in 1984, all its permanent ministers have been clerics.
Parliamentary presiding board spokesman Abbas Goudarzi said the urgent bill would be placed on the parliamentary agenda next week. The proposal also includes creating two new organizations within the ministry: an Intelligence Protection Organization responsible for internal security and an Ideological-Political Organization handling religious and ideological affairs.
The heads of both organizations would be appointed directly by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The intelligence minister would continue to be nominated by the president and require parliamentary approval.
Pourmohammadi Among Potential Candidates
President Pezeshkian is reportedly considering several candidates for the vacant position. Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a senior cleric and former justice minister who served from 2013 to 2017, has emerged as a reported contender. He also served in intelligence and security positions and contested the 2024 presidential election.
His possible appointment would mean the ministry could still be led by a cleric even if the legal requirement is removed. No official nomination has been announced.
Parliamentary Approval Still Required
The proposed legislation aims to widen the pool of candidates and address the prolonged leadership vacancy. However, it must receive approval from the full parliament and the Guardian Council before becoming law.
If passed, the amendment would end the four-decade requirement for a clerical intelligence minister while introducing two new internal organizations under the direct appointment authority of the Supreme Leader. This would change both the eligibility requirements for the top post and the ministry's leadership structure.
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