Overview
- State decrees issued Aug. 9–11 formally appointed Mohsen Rezaei as the Supreme Leader’s representative and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, replacing Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.
- The Supreme National Security Council, chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian, must approve any deal on the Strait of Hormuz, and Rezaei will act as the Supreme Leader’s direct voice on that body.
- Mojtaba Khamenei also filled six senior military posts, naming Ali Abdollahi chief of staff of the armed forces, Ahmad Vahidi IRGC commander, Kioumars Heydari deputy chief of staff, Mostafa Izadi deputy IRGC commander, Ali Azmaei IRGC navy head, and Hossein Taeb Basij commander.
- Iran says it is exchanging messages with the United States through intermediaries and is negotiating with Oman on a Hormuz shipping arrangement, but officials in Tehran insist any reopening requires U.S. concessions.
- Analysts and foreign governments warn the reshuffle centralizes power with hardline IRGC veterans who face past sanctions or allegations, a move that could harden Tehran’s negotiating stance and affect regional security and the Iranian economy.