Mohsen Rezaei’s appointment puts a veteran IRGC commander at the heart of Iran’s security and foreign policy decisions as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz continue.
Iran has appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, bringing a veteran military figure back to the center of the country’s national security decision-making.
The appointment comes at a highly sensitive moment, with Iran facing continued military and diplomatic pressure involving the United States and Israel and negotiations underway over conditions for reopening shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Rezaei, 71, replaces Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, who had held the position for only a short period following the death of former secretary Ali Larijani in an airstrike during the ongoing conflict.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Rezaei as his representative on the security council alongside Saeed Jalili. The decree cited Rezaei’s extensive military experience, particularly his role during the Iran-Iraq War.
Rezaei led the IRGC from 1981 to 1997 and later became secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. He also served as vice president for economic affairs under former President Ebrahim Raisi.
Zolqadr has been moved to a political advisory position under the Supreme Leader. Before his departure, he had called for strict conditions for diplomatic progress, including an immediate halt to US military threats and relief from economic sanctions.
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