The Battle for the Throne in Tehran: The Appointment That Shuffles the Cards at the Top of the Regime

The appointment of Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council is seen as a move to centralize war and negotiation management in the hands of the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards. The appointment aims to restrain President Pezeshkian, weaken Foreign Minister Araghchi, and create a counterweight to Parliament Speaker Qalibaf. Analysts assess that this means stricter terms for any deal and an internal struggle over control of the talks.

The appointment of Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council appears to be a move to re-centralize the management of the war and negotiations in the hands of the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards establishment. Analysts assess that the appointment is intended to restrain President Masoud Pezeshkian, weaken the independence of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and create a counterweight to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led the talks with the United States and defended the ceasefire agreement reached in June. Rezaei, 71, commanded the Revolutionary Guards from 1981 to 1997, including during most of the Iran-Iraq War, and served for more than two decades as secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. He ran for president several times without success and served as vice president for economic affairs in Raisi's government. Officially, he was appointed by Pezeshkian following the resignation of Mohammad Bagher Zolqadr, who was appointed as Khamenei's political advisor. The move is seen as a reorganization of power centers around the Supreme Leader. Experts, including Hamidreza Azizi and Prof. Saeed Golkar, say the Revolutionary Guards are deepening their grip on power. Qalibaf welcomed the appointment, but clashes over control of the talks are expected. The implication: stricter terms for any settlement and an internal struggle over the negotiations.