Mohhammad Baqer Zolqadr, a veteran commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been appointed as the new Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Larijani, one of the most influential non-clerical politicians in Iran, had emerged as the face of the country’s defiance after the U.S. and Israel started a war on Iran on February 28, assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mr. Zolqadr, who fought the 1980-88 war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, headed the IRGC Joint Staff for eight years during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. In 2005, after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became President, Mr. Zolqadr was named Deputy Interior Minister for security and police. As the secretary of the Security Council Mr. Zolqadr will play a key role in decision making at a time when Iran is at war against the U.S. and Israel.

Source: The Hindu March 24, 2026 15:01 UTC