Iran has appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, Mohsen Rezaei, as the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who resigned from the position and has been appointed a political adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
The change was announced on Sunday by presidential spokesman Mehdi Tabatabaei, who said President Masoud Pezeshkian approved Rezaei’s appointment following Zolghadr’s resignation.
Rezaei, 71, headed the Revolutionary Guards from 1981 to 1997, covering most of the Iran-Iraq War. He later held several senior government positions and served as a military adviser to Khamenei.
His appointment comes at a critical time for Iran, with tensions over the Strait of Hormuz remaining high amid the ongoing conflict between Tehran and the United States.
Rezaei said in July that control of the strategic waterway was “more important than dozens of atomic bombs”.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global oil shipments and has become a major flashpoint in the conflict, with uncertainty over its reopening continuing to affect regional security and energy markets.
Zolghadr, who also previously served as a Revolutionary Guards commander, had led the Supreme National Security Council since March.
Following his resignation, Khamenei’s office confirmed that he would take up a new role as political adviser to the Supreme Leader.
