Iran’s Presidency officially announced the appointment of Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr (also spelled Zolghadr / Zulqadr) as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Iran’s most powerful body on war strategy, nuclear policy, and foreign threats.
He replaces Ali Larijani, who was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran on March 17, 2026 (along with his son and senior aides).
Who is Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr?
- Retired senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- Former deputy commander of the IRGC
- Long-time hardliner with deep security and military background.
- Sanctioned by the EU, Canada, and others for his role in the regime’s security apparatus.
- Not a diplomat or negotiator: this is a clear “security-first” pick.
The SNSC is the top decision-making body that reports directly to the Supreme Leader (currently in transition after Khamenei’s death) and sets Iran’s red lines on everything from the war with Israel/U.S. to the nuclear file.
This is the latest high-level shakeup inside Iran amid the ongoing war. Larijani was seen as a pragmatic power-broker who helped coordinate the regime’s response. Replacing him with a pure IRGC veteran signals a harder line and possibly tighter military control over national security decisions.
