Iran has appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as the new head of its Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) following the death of Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike. The appointment was made on Tuesday, placing Zolghadr in one of the country’s most sensitive political and security positions amid heightened regional tensions and internal challenges.

Zolghadr, a former top commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), previously served as secretary of the policy advisory council since 2023. As a first-generation IRGC member who fought in the Iran-Iraq war, he held senior leadership roles for over a decade. His selection is seen as an effort to fill the vacuum left by Larijani, a veteran political and security figure. The SNSC post is closely linked to the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, requiring both strategic and security expertise.

Iran’s hardliners view Zolghadr as better suited than Larijani to handle the current wartime pressures. With continued U.S. and Israeli attacks and growing domestic instability, Zolghadr faces the dual challenge of maintaining internal security and managing any potential negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with the United States.