Overview
- On Sunday, August 9, 2026, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei officially appointed Mohsen Rezaee as his representative and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr resigned and was named a political adviser to Khamenei.
- Rezaee is a veteran of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who led the IRGC from 1981 to 1997 and has held senior government roles including vice president for economic affairs under President Ebrahim Raisi.
- Analysts and state outlets say the move increases the supreme leader’s direct influence over Iran’s top security body and shifts key decision-making toward IRGC‑aligned, hard‑line figures.
- The change comes while Iran exchanges mediated messages with Oman and the United States about reopening and managing the Strait of Hormuz, a negotiation that requires SNSC and supreme leader approval.
- Markets and prediction models registered modest risk re‑pricing after the appointment, and observers say to watch SNSC statements and any shifts in presidential authority as indicators of wider regime moves.