Iran appoints former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of Supreme National Security Council

Published Aug 10, 05:14 PM UTC

Iran has appointed former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), replacing Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr. The change was announced on August 9, 2026, by President Masoud Pezeshkian's deputy director of communications. Rezaei, 71, commanded the IRGC from 1981 to 1997 and later served as secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council and vice president under hardline President Ebrahim Raisi. He is considered more outspoken than his predecessor. No reason was given for the change, which comes amid a war between Iran and the US/Israel. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also appointed Rezaei as his representative on the SNSC. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed during five months of war.