TEHRAN, August 9, 2026 — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has appointed Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as his representative to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the country’s highest body for coordinating security and foreign policy.
In an official decree released Sunday, Khamenei praised Rezaei’s “valuable experiences” and described him as “one of the pioneers of the eight-year Sacred Defense,” referring to the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. The decree stated: “I hope you will achieve complete success in carrying out this important responsibility… Under the blessings of our master, Imam Mahdi, may you always remain a devoted soldier for the proud nation of Iran.”
Rezaei, who commanded the IRGC from 1981 to 1997, previously served as military adviser to the Supreme Leader and is a long-time member of the Expediency Discernment Council. He also held the post of Secretary of the Supreme Council for Economic Coordination.
Later the same day, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a separate decree appointing Rezaei as Secretary of the SNSC, the operational head of the council. This followed the resignation of Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr from the secretary role. Khamenei simultaneously named Zolghadr as his political adviser.
The SNSC is formally chaired by the president and includes senior military, intelligence, and government officials. Its decisions take effect only after confirmation by the Supreme Leader. The dual appointment places Rezaei at the center of Iran’s key security and foreign-policy decision-making.
Rezaei, 71, is a veteran hardline figure who has run in multiple presidential elections and remains under international sanctions. The appointments mark one of the most significant personnel changes in Iran’s security apparatus since Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of Supreme Leader earlier this year.
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