Iran has reshuffled its top national security leadership, appointing former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who had served as secretary since March, has been appointed political adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
The changes were announced on Sunday. President Masoud Pezeshkian’s office said Rezaei had been nominated to head the council following Zolghadr’s departure from the position. Reuters also reported that Rezaei has been appointed as Khamenei’s representative to the SNSC.
Zolghadr separately confirmed his appointment as Khamenei’s political adviser in a message on social media.
Rezaei returns to a key security role
The 71-year-old Rezaei is a veteran Iranian military and political figure. He served as commander-in-chief of the IRGC from 1981 to 1997 and has held several senior government positions since leaving the military.
He previously served as vice president for economic affairs and has remained an influential figure within Iran’s political and security establishment. His appointment to the SNSC places a former senior IRGC commander at the center of Iran’s national security decision-making.
Rezaei has also been a prominent voice on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. In recent remarks, he argued that control of the vital waterway was more important to Iran’s strategic security than possessing dozens of nuclear weapons.
Zolghadr becomes Khamenei’s political adviser
Zolghadr, a former IRGC brigadier general, became secretary of the SNSC in March after the previous secretary, Ali Larijani, was killed in an airstrike during the ongoing regional conflict.
His tenure lasted only several months before the latest reshuffle.
Zolghadr has been closely associated with Iran’s hard-line security establishment and previously served as deputy commander of the IRGC. His move to the Supreme Leader’s office means he will continue to hold an influential political role.
Change comes amid regional tensions
The reshuffle comes at a highly sensitive time for Iran, with the country facing continuing military and diplomatic tensions involving the United States and Israel, as well as intense international attention over the Strait of Hormuz.
Zolghadr had recently issued demands concerning the reopening of the strategic waterway, including conditions involving US military forces, sanctions and compensation. His replacement by Rezaei comes as Iran faces difficult decisions over security policy and negotiations.
Rezaei is also known for taking a hard-line position on Iran’s security interests, although analysts have noted that his appointment does not necessarily indicate an immediate change in Tehran’s overall policy. Reuters reported that no official explanation was given for the leadership change and that it remained unclear whether the reshuffle would result in a significant policy shift.
Both Rezaei and Zolghadr are regarded as figures closely aligned with Iran’s hard-line establishment and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
The appointment of Rezaei therefore strengthens the role of a veteran IRGC figure at one of Iran’s most important security institutions at a time of heightened regional tensions.
