Mehdi Tabatabai, assistant to Iranian President, announced on X that former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei has been appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), replacing Mohammad-Bagher Zolqadr. The appointment, first reported by The Zioneer on Sunday, marks a significant reshuffle in Iran's security hierarchy as the new leadership under Mojtaba Khamenei consolidates control over strategic decision-making bodies.
The appointment of former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) received its first official confirmation from the presidential office early Monday, when Mehdi Tabatabai, an aide to President Masoud Pezeshkian, announced it on X. The confirmation follows a day of rapid developments in Tehran's security hierarchy, beginning with conflicting reports on Sunday.
The Zioneer first reported Sunday afternoon (13:44 Jerusalem) that Iranian media had reported Rezaei's appointment as the Supreme Leader's representative to the SNSC. Shortly after, that initial report was reportedly deleted, raising questions about the process. By late Sunday, multiple sources — including Israeli news outlet N12 and Iranian media — confirmed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had appointed Rezaei as SNSC secretary, replacing Mohammad-Bagher Zolqadr. President Pezeshkian was also reported to have issued a formal appointment. The presidential aide's statement now provides the first on-record confirmation from within the executive branch.
As The Zioneer has reported, the SNSC is Iran's highest security body, operating under Article 176 of the constitution. The appointment is part of a broader reshuffle under Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been consolidating power over strategic institutions. Rezaei, a veteran IRGC commander and former military adviser to the previous Supreme Leader, has been a central figure in Iran's security establishment. The Zioneer previously noted that an Iranian media profile described Rezaei as a symbol of the regime's failures, suggesting his appointment may be intended to implement policy dictated by others.
It remains unclear whether the appointment required the president's formal approval or if the Supreme Leader's directive was sufficient. The relationship between Rezaei and President Pezeshkian, and the extent of the president's independent authority over the SNSC, remain subjects of speculation.
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