Mohsen Rezaei appointed as secretary of Iran's top security body
Iran has appointed former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. The change occurs amidst ongoing regional tensions and complex negotiations regarding shipping routes and sanctions.
Why it matters
The appointment of a hardline figure to a key security role may signal a shift in Iran's foreign policy and security posture during a period of conflict.
Iran has changed its secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, appointing former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as second-in-command on the body that coordinates the country’s security and foreign policy.
Mr. Rezaei is more of an outspoken public figure than his predecessor, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr. The appointment was announced late on Sunday (August 9, 2026) by President Masoud Pezeshkian’s deputy director of communications.
Mr. Zolqadr had only been appointed as SNSC secretary in late March, after his predecessor, Ali Larijani, was killed in an air strike during the war pitting Iran against the U.S. and Israel.
No reason was given for the change and it was not immediately clear if it would herald any change in policy.
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