Iran names ex-Revolutionary Guards commander as new security chief

Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr replaces Ali Larijani

Iran named a former Revolutionary Guards commander and senior figure in the political faction on Tuesday to replace the powerful head of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, killed in US-Israeli strikes last week.

Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr was appointed as Larijani's successor as secretary of the SNSC, the Iranian president's deputy of communications posted on X on Tuesday.

The SNSC, formally chaired by the elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, coordinates security and foreign policy, and includes top military, intelligence and government officials in addition to representatives of the supreme leader who has ultimate say over all matters of state.

Zolghadr is a former Revolutionary Guards commander who has in the past held senior security positions such as deputy for security at the Interior Ministry, deputy at the armed forces' general staff and advisor to the judiciary chief for crime prevention.

He headed the electoral headquarters of the political faction, the Popular Front of Islamic Revolutionary Forces.

Since 2022 he has served as secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, an assembly that resolves differences between parliament and the Guardian Council of Shia clerics and jurists who can veto legislation and supervise elections.