Khamenei announced the appointment in a post on X, citing Rezaee’s extensive military experience.
“Considering your valuable experience, I am hereby appointing you ... to be my representative in the Supreme National Security Council,” Khamenei said.
Rezaee was among the early commanders during what Iran calls the “Sacred Defense” — its term for the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War.
He served as commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from 1981 to 1997, making him one of the longest-serving commanders in the force’s history.
Rezaee is also a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, a body that helps resolve disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council.
The Guardian Council is a 12-member constitutional body responsible, among other functions, for vetting election candidates and reviewing legislation.
Khamenei appointed Rezaee as his military adviser in March.
The appointment to the Supreme National Security Council places the veteran IRGC commander in a key position within Iran’s national security decision-making structure.
