Iran has promoted a hard-line ex-commander as its top security official, shaking up its highest decision-making body on national defense after saying it was ¡°very close¡± to a deal with Oman over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohsen Rezaee was appointed the new leader of the Supreme National Security Council, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported late Sunday. He replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a fellow hard-liner who accepted a new position as political adviser to the country¡¯s supreme leader.
It¡¯s unclear what the reshuffle means for diplomacy, with U.S. President Donald Trump making periodic threats of escalation as he pushes for a resolution with Iran that would allow traffic to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaee, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been a key figure in Iran¡¯s security apparatus for years and previously advocated for advancing Iran¡¯s nuclear program.
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