Overview
- Mohsen Rezaei was appointed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as his representative and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, replacing Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr who resigned and was named a political adviser to the leader.
- State outlets and multiple reports said the move was announced on Sunday, Aug. 9, completing a rapid reshuffle of the SNSC that followed the March killing of the previous secretary, Ali Larijani.
- Rezaei is a veteran IRGC commander who led the force from 1981 to 1997, has served as a senior adviser to the supreme leader, and has held top political and economic posts inside Iran’s system.
- Analysts and reports interpret the appointment as a consolidation of IRGC‑aligned, hard‑line influence at the centre of Iran’s security decision making, a shift that could limit the room for the president’s more civilian diplomacy.
- The change matters for the Strait of Hormuz talks because Rezaei has publicly framed control of the waterway as a core strategic priority, Iran says talks with Oman are close, and his role could shape whether negotiations or tougher measures guide Tehran’s next moves.