Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has appointed senior military adviser Mohsen Rezaee as his representative to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the country’s top security body.

In a decree issued Sunday, the Leader cited Rezaee’s extensive military experience and his role as one of the early commanders during Iran’s eight-year Sacred Defense.

“Considering your valuable experience, I am hereby appointing you, who were one of the first commanders in the triumphant 8-Year Sacred Defense, to be my representative in the Supreme National Security Council,” the decree said.

Rezaee is a veteran commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which he led from 1981 to 1997. He currently serves as a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, a body responsible for resolving differences between Parliament and the Guardian Council.

The Guardian Council, a 12-member constitutional body, reviews legislation passed by Parliament and assesses its compatibility with Islamic law and the Constitution.

Rezaee’s latest appointment adds a new responsibility to his existing role as a senior military adviser to the Leader. Ayatollah Khamenei previously appointed him to that position in March.

The SNSC is Iran’s principal institution for coordinating national security and defense policies. It brings together senior political, military and security officials and operates under the authority of the Leader.

Rezaee’s appointment places a veteran of Iran’s wartime command structure in a key position within the country’s national security decision-making apparatus, underscoring the importance attached to his decades of military and strategic experience. (ILKHA)