Baku: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaee as secretary of the country's top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, according to the presidency on Sunday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the appointment follows the resignation of Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr from the same position to take on a new role. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy head of communications and information at the presidential office, confirmed the appointment on the social media platform X. The decision aligns with Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's recent move to appoint Rezaee as his representative to the council, acknowledging his experience and contributions during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War.

Rezaee's extensive military background includes his tenure as IRGC commander from 1981 to 1997. In addition to his new role, he serves on Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, which mediates between the parliament and the Guardian Council, the latter being responsible for candidate and legislative vetting. Earlier this year, Rezaee was also appointed as a military adviser to Iran's supreme leader.

In related developments, Supreme Leader Khamenei has appointed Zolghadr as his political adviser, emphasizing his valuable experience. The political reshuffling occurs against a backdrop of renewed military conflict between Iran and the US, following a joint US-Israeli offensive against Tehran earlier this year.

Despite a ceasefire agreement in April and a memorandum of understanding in June intended to establish a lasting peace, tensions escalated again last month. The exchange of attacks between Iran and the US lasted nearly two weeks before US President Donald Trump halted the conflict amid reports of ongoing negotiations to resolve the situation.