Iran appoints ex-IRGC commander to top security position

Iran has announced the appointment of Mohsen Rezaee, a former leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as the head of the Supreme National Security Council. President Masoud Pezeshkian made the announcement on Sunday, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei designating Rezaee as his personal representative on the council. Rezaee, currently 71 years old, previously held the position of IRGC commander from 1981 to 1997, having served as a key member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council since 1988.

The Ayatollah also named Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as his political advisor. Rezaee, who held various senior roles within the IRGC, including deputy chief from 1997 to 2006, will replace Zolghadr, who served as Secretary of Iran’s Security Council from March to August 2026, and as Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council from 2021 to 2026.

On the weekend, Pezeshkian expressed disapproval of attacks on numerous law enforcement officers, asserting that the attacks aimed to incite ethnic discord resulting in Iran's disintegration. "Their ambitions have been entirely thwarted," the President declared. Meanwhile, Pezeshkian admitted that Iran's communication with neighboring nations—such as Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan—is showing improvement relative to the peak of the conflict.