Who Is Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr? IRGC Veteran Appointed Iran’s Top Security Official

Iran has appointed veteran military commander and strategist Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), a key body responsible for shaping the country’s security and foreign policy.

The announcement was made by Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabai, Deputy for Communications at the Iranian President’s Office, via a post on X. Zolqadr’s appointment comes through a direct presidential decree, endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

He replaces Ali Larijani, who was reportedly killed in a recent Israeli-American strike and had been serving as SNSC Secretary since August 2025.

Zolqadr’s elevation comes at a critical time, as Iran continues to grapple with an ongoing conflict in the region. A seasoned figure within Iran’s security establishment, he has decades of experience across military, judicial and strategic domains.

A senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Zolqadr previously served as deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for Basij affairs. He also held senior roles within Iran’s judiciary for nearly a decade, further strengthening his credentials in national security governance.

His career dates back to the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the Iran-Iraq War, he served as head of the IRGC Joint Staff for eight years during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, followed by another eight years as deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

Academically, Zolqadr holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in public administration from Tehran University, along with a doctorate in strategic management from the National Defense University.

His appointment is seen as a significant move as Iran navigates heightened geopolitical tensions and security challenges.