Mojtaba Khamenei appoints Mohsen Rezaei as Supreme National Security Council Secretary

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has appointed former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, according to Iranian state media reports on Sunday. Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who had assumed the role following the death of Ali Larijani in US-Israeli strikes last March, weeks after the outbreak of the Iran war. Press TV reported that the appointment decree was issued on Sunday. State news agency IRNA cited the decree as praising Rezaei’s 'valuable experience' and describing him as a 'pioneer of the eight-year Sacred Defence,' a reference to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Mohsen Rezaei served as commander of the Revolutionary Guard from 1981 to 1997. IRNA noted that he previously served as a member of the Expediency Council and as secretary of the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination. The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council acts as the Supreme Leader's representative on the body, which is officially chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian. The council coordinates security and foreign policy and includes senior military, intelligence, and government officials. Press TV stated that Mojtaba Khamenei’s decree also acknowledged the 'round-the-clock efforts' of Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former IRGC commander, during his tenure. IRNA reported that Zolghadr has been appointed as a political advisor to the Supreme Leader following his departure from the council. The appointment occurs amid a standoff between Iran and the US over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has effectively closed the waterway since the war began, making its reopening a precondition for resuming peace deal negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Saturday that Tehran is nearing an agreement with Oman to manage the waterway, though he insisted it will remain closed until the US meets Iran's demands.