Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr appointed as Iran’s new security chief

Mohhammad Baqer Zolqadr, a veteran commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been appointed as the new Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Mr. Zolqadr, who currently serves as the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, an advisory body to the Supreme Leader, replaces Ali Larijani, who was assassinated by an Israeli strike on March 17.

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He previously served as deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for Basij and held senior positions in the judiciary.

After the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88, Mr. Zolqadr headed the IRGC Joint Staff for eight years during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

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

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

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.

(with inputs from Reuters)