"Militarizing the Council": Iran Appoints IRGC Veteran Zolqadr as National Security Chief to Fill the Void After Larijani’s Assassination

In a decisive move to stabilize its high command during an existential crisis, Iran officially appointed Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The rapid appointment follows the death of his predecessor, Ali Larijani, who was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike last week—a strike that Israel claimed as part of its ongoing campaign to decapitate the "Axis of Terror".

From Strategy to Combat: Zolqadr makes the jump to this sensitive post from his previous role as Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. However, it is his deep-rooted history within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that defines this appointment. While Larijani was often viewed as a pragmatic politician with a diplomatic flair, Zolqadr is a hardline military strategist. His selection signals a fundamental shift in Tehran’s strategy: the "militarization" of national security decision-making and a move away from any remaining diplomatic avenues in favor of direct regional confrontation.

The Burden of Leadership in Wartime: The new chief inherits a security apparatus reeling from the loss of its supreme leader and top military intelligence officials. According to the Iranian Vice President’s office, the primary goal of this appointment is to maintain institutional cohesion and counter persistent U.S.-Israeli strikes. Zolqadr’s immediate challenge will be to reorganize the security files and manage the retaliation strategy while the country remains under intense aerial bombardment.