Iran Taps Former IRGC Chief Rezaei to Lead National Security Council

Iran named Mohsen Rezaei — who commanded the IRGC, the Revolutionary Guards, from 1981 to 1997 — as head of its Supreme National Security Council on August 9, 2026. The role has changed hands three times since March, when a US-Israeli strike killed Ali Larijani. Rezaei now oversees security policy as Iran and the US maintain a mutual naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz.