Iran has appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as its new top security official, replacing Ali Larijani, who was killed in a U.S.–Israeli airstrike last week, marking a significant shift in Tehran’s national security leadership amid escalating regional tensions.
The appointment was confirmed on Tuesday, with Zolghadr—a former deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a prominent hardline figure—assuming the role of secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Al Jazeera reported: “Iran has appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former IRGC deputy commander and hardline figure, as its new security chief, replacing Ali Larijani, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike last week.”
Larijani, one of Iran’s most influential political figures, was killed on March 17 in what has been described as a targeted strike in Tehran during the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. His death followed a broader campaign of high-level assassinations aimed at Iran’s leadership structure.
Zolghadr brings decades of military and political experience to the role. A brigadier general in the IRGC, he previously served in senior positions within Iran’s interior ministry, judiciary, and the Expediency Discernment Council. His appointment signals continuity in Iran’s hardline security posture at a time of heightened confrontation with Western and regional adversaries.
The Supreme National Security Council, which Zolghadr now leads, plays a central role in shaping Iran’s defense and foreign policy strategy, coordinating between military, intelligence, and political institutions.
Analysts view the leadership change as part of Iran’s effort to rapidly stabilize its command structure following a series of high-profile losses, while maintaining a firm stance in the ongoing conflict.