Mohsen Rezaei Appointed Secretary of Iran Security Council

The government of Iran appointed Mohsen Rezaei, a veteran military commander and former head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who resigned from the position. A spokesman for President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the appointment, which places Rezaei at the center of Iranian policy regarding conflicts with the United States and negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.

Observers view the appointment as a consolidation of power by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the old-guard security establishment. The move is characterized as a balancing act by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to limit the political influence of Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Additionally, the appointment is seen as a means to further restrain the diplomatic efforts of President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in their dealings with the United States.