Iran names security council chief Ali Larijani’s replacement

Iranian state television identified the new secretary as Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.

More than a week after Iran’s Supreme National Security Council’s secretary Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Tehran has named a former Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander as his replacement. Iranian state television identified the new secretary as Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.

Zolghadr reached the rank of brigadier general in the Guard and has been serving as the secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council.

Larijani, 67, was widely believed to be running the country following the killing of Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The former speaker of the Iranian parliament was one of the insiders of the Tehran regime, who had the ability to work across the aisle — from moderates and reformists to hardliners and IRGC — while also having the bandwidth to engage with the most sophisticated American and Western diplomats. He was known to have led the nation’s nuclear negotiations with the West.

The West Asian conflict continued despite US President Donald Trump signalling an end of the war saying talks were on with the Islamic Republic. Iranian missiles and drones continued to pound Tel Aviv and Gulf nations on Tuesday. Trump had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf for shipping, threatening of further strikes. However, the Republican leader has delayed the deadline, offering a reprieve.

“No negotiations have been held with the US,” Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X, adding that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon even as the U.S. considers a ceasefire.“There’s more to come,” he said.

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More than a week after Iran’s Supreme National Security Council’s secretary Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Tehran has named a former Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander as his replacement. Iranian state television identified the new secretary as Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.

Zolghadr reached the rank of brigadier general in the Guard and has been serving as the secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council.

Larijani, 67, was widely believed to be running the country following the killing of Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The former speaker of the Iranian parliament was one of the insiders of the Tehran regime, who had the ability to work across the aisle — from moderates and reformists to hardliners and IRGC — while also having the bandwidth to engage with the most sophisticated American and Western diplomats. He was known to have led the nation’s nuclear negotiations with the West.

The West Asian conflict continued despite US President Donald Trump signalling an end of the war saying talks were on with the Islamic Republic. Iranian missiles and drones continued to pound Tel Aviv and Gulf nations on Tuesday. Trump had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf for shipping, threatening of further strikes. However, the Republican leader has delayed the deadline, offering a reprieve.

“No negotiations have been held with the US,” Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X, adding that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon even as the U.S. considers a ceasefire.“There’s more to come,” he said.