Who Is Mohsen Rezaei? 71-Year-Old War Hawk Running Iran's Security Council
Iran has appointed hardliner Mohsen Rezaei as the secretary of its Supreme National Security Council. Rezaei, a former IRGC commander, is known for his hawkish stance and skepticism toward negotiations with the United States.
Why it matters
The appointment signals a potential hardening of Iran's security and foreign policy posture during ongoing regional conflicts.
Iran has appointed Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of its Supreme National Security Council, promoting a prominent hardliner and close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to the role more than five months into the conflict with the United States.Rezaei replaces Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as second-in-command of the body that coordinates Iran's security and foreign policy and is chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian. Zolqadr was appointed as political adviser to Khamenei.Here's what you need to know about Rezaei, 71.Commanded Revolutionary Guards Aged 27Rezaei joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and became its commander in 1981 aged 27.
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