Iran appoints Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as Supreme National Security Council head

Iran has officially appointed Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The announcement was made on X (formerly Twitter) by Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabai, Deputy for Communications and Information at the Iranian President’s Office.

Zolqadr was appointed through a presidential decree and with approval from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei. He replaces Ali Larijani, who was assassinated last week in an Israeli-American strike. Larijani had held the position since August 2025.

A veteran commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and experienced security official, Zolqadr takes charge at a critical time, as Iran continues to face ongoing conflict. He brings decades of experience in Iran’s military, security, and judicial institutions.

Zolqadr has previously served as deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for Basij affairs and held senior roles in the judiciary for nearly ten years. He also served as head of the IRGC Joint Staff during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and later as deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

He studied at Tehran University, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in public administration. He also completed a doctorate in strategic management at the National Defense University.

With his extensive military and administrative experience, Zolqadr is expected to lead Iran’s national security council through this challenging period.