Iran Appoints Zolqadr as SNSC Secretary Following Larijani Assassination

Mahdi Tabatabai, Deputy for Communications and Information of the Iranian President's Office, announced on X (Twitter) that Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr has been appointed Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The decision was made "with the view and approval of Iran's Supreme Leader." Zolqadr replaces Ali Larijani, who was killed on 26 Esfand (March 17, 2026) in an Israeli attack at his daughter's home, along with his son, deputy, and bodyguards. Questions remain over whether the attack on Pardis buildings was in fact deliberately targeting Larijani — a possibility that was initially denied but the denial was subsequently described as a lie. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr previously became Secretary of the Expediency Council in September 2021, replacing Mohsen Rezaei. Brigadier General Zolqadr is a senior IRGC commander and one of the founders of the Ramadan Expeditionary Base, which later evolved into the foundation of the Quds Force, the IRGC's extraterritorial operations branch.