Iran's supreme leader appoints former IRGC commander as national security chief

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has appointed Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, according to state media. Rezaei will succeed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who was appointed after Ali Larijani's death in a US-Israeli strike in March, weeks after the onset of the Iran war.

Khamenei commended Rezaei's extensive experience and referred to him as a pioneer of the eight-year Sacred Defense, alluding to the Iran-Iraq war that began in 1980. Rezaei previously served as head of the IRGC, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, and secretary of the Supreme Council for Economic Co-ordination. As secretary, he acts as Khamenei's representative on the Supreme National Security Council, chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The council oversees security and foreign policy, comprising high-ranking military, intelligence, and government officials. Khamenei's decree expressed gratitude to Zolghadr for his continuous efforts since replacing Larijani. The appointment of Rezaei occurs amidst a dispute between Iran and the US over the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively blocked since the war began as a prelude to resuming negotiations on a peace deal.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Saturday that Iran is nearing an agreement with Oman on managing the waterway but emphasized that the Strait would not reopen until the US meets Iran's demands.