Iran Appoints Ali Larijani as Secretary of Supreme National Security Council
Iran appoints Ali Larijani as top security chief, replacing IRGC general. Ex-parliament speaker & 2015 nuclear deal supporter takes helm amid regional tensions post Israel-Iran war. Signals potential diplomatic shift.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a move amid mounting regional tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has appointed veteran politician Ali Larijani as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), replacing IRGC General Ali Akbar Ahmadian, who held the post since May 2023, Iranian state media reported Tuesday.
The SNSC is a pivotal institution tasked with formulating Iran’s defense and national security policies. Its decisions require approval from the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving the council substantial influence in shaping Iran’s strategic direction.
At 68, Larijani is widely regarded as a moderate conservative within the Islamic Republic’s political system. He hails from a prominent Shiite family with longstanding ties to Iran’s ruling elite. His reappointment to a senior role follows a period of political marginalization after his 2021 presidential candidacy was disqualified, despite being viewed as one of the front-runners at the time.
Larijani previously served as a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader beginning in May 2020, and as Speaker of Parliament from 2008 to 2020. Notably, he was a vocal supporter of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, underscoring his pragmatic approach to international engagement.
He also served as chief nuclear negotiator in 2005, resigning two years later due to “deep differences” with former populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the direction of nuclear diplomacy.
Larijani’s return to the forefront of Iranian security policymaking comes in the aftermath of Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June, which was carried out with U.S. backing, according to Tehran. The offensive, declared by Israel as a measure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, occurred while Tehran and Washington were reportedly engaged in negotiations over a new nuclear agreement.
The appointment is widely interpreted as a strategic shift, bringing a seasoned and internationally experienced figure into Iran’s top security post at a time of intense regional volatility.
Ali Larijani’s new role at the helm of the Supreme National Security Council signals a potential recalibration of Iran’s national security posture, both in managing external threats and revisiting diplomatic pathways amid the fallout of the latest regional conflict.
