Zolghadr, an ex-IRGC commander, will manage Iran’s security amid external US-Israeli pressures and internal unrest.

Iran on Tuesday appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as the successor to Ali Larijani — who was killed in an air strike last week — as the head of the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Chosen for one of the most sensitive posts in Iran’s political system, Zolghadr will navigate a complex security situation, shaped by military pressure from the United States-Israeli war on Iran and domestic challenges.

Described by Al Jazeera correspondent Suheib Alassa as a “heavyweight security figure”, Zolghadr, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander and the secretary of the advisory Expediency Council since 2023, has credentials that place him at the heart of Iran’s security decision-making.

Belonging to the first generation of the IRGC, formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution, Zolghadr fought in the Iran-Iraq war. He has held a series of senior military and security roles, including chief of the IRGC Joint Staff for eight years, and the organisation’s deputy commander-in-chief for another eight years. He then moved on to high-level political and judicial positions.

His selection, Alassa says, reflects Tehran’s need for someone capable of filling the void left by Larijani, long regarded as a deeply experienced political and security figure within the governing system. Replacing him was never likely to be straightforward.

In that context, Zolghadr’s appointment should not be viewed as an immediate response to the current war, but rather, the result of a longer process to identify a figure with the specific qualities required for such a sensitive role.

Challenges

The nature of the SNSC leadership post – closely linked to the office of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei – demands a figure who can combine security expertise with the ability to manage strategic portfolios.

Hardliners in Iran may also see Zolghadr, with his strong military background, as someone better suited to handle the country’s current war footing than Larijani.

The war presents Zolghadr with several immediate tests.

Strikes continue throughout the country, not just in large cities like Tehran and Isfahan, but also with a particular focus on western and northwestern Iran – particularly East Azerbaijan province, near the country’s western border. The attacks have raised concerns over attempts to destabilise the country from within.

Iranian authorities have also arrested hundreds of people accused of cooperating with foreign entities, part of what observers say is an effort to contain potential security breaches. This follows a protest movement earlier this year, which led to the deaths of thousands of Iranians.

For its part, Tehran continues its wave of missile attacks across the region. Iran’s intelligence apparatus hopes that the message from these attacks is that it is able to identify targets deep inside Israeli territory. Iran also hopes to continue its pressure campaign in the Strait of Hormuz, restricting the passage of ships, which has already had a detrimental effect on the global economy and raised oil prices.

Taken together, these developments point to a complex landscape that combines external military pressure with internal efforts to maintain security. This places Zolghadr into an early test of his ability to manage the delicate balance.

And he will also have an important role in any negotiations with the US to end the war.

“Zolghadr’s appointment suggests Iran’s leadership is trying to add more military layers to the national security establishment”, Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem said, reporting from Tehran.

“An important thing to note is that whoever is sitting at the negotiation table will have to get Zolghadr’s approval before anything passes,” he added.