Iran Appoints Mohsen Rezaei to Key Security Role Amid Power Struggles and Efforts to Prove Supreme Leader Alive

Iran has undergone significant leadership changes within its top security echelons, highlighted by the resignation of Mohammad-Baqer Doa al-Kadr as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and the appointment of Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to this sensitive position. Doa al-Kadr was reassigned as a political advisor to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling a reshuffle rather than an exit from influence. These shifts occur amid a broader reorganization and intensification of internal power struggles within the Islamic Republic.

Dr. Raz Zimmt, head of the Iran and Shiite Axis program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), told N12 that Rezaei's appointment likely strengthens the hardline military faction led by current IRGC commanders and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in contrast to more moderate figures such as President Ebrahim Raisi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. Zimmt described Rezaei as an experienced, pragmatic politician whose decisions are driven more by personal and factional interests than ideology.

Concurrently, the Iranian regime is intensifying efforts to demonstrate that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and functioning, amid prolonged public absence that has fueled rumors and doubts about his health and control. The Supreme Leader’s office recently announced a meeting between Khamenei and President Raisi, and circulated old footage to reinforce his active role in governance. Zimmt noted that these disclosures reflect the regime’s awareness of the destabilizing effects of Khamenei’s absence on internal power dynamics.

The current situation, where Mojtaba Khamenei appears to lead remotely, complicates his ability to maintain firm control, unlike his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This environment fosters ongoing factional competition as various actors seek to enhance their status. The recent leadership changes may mark the beginning of a broader transformation in Iran’s power structure, with implications for the regime’s long-term character and stability.