Iran Reshuffles Its Top Military Command
Iran’s supreme leader announced a sweeping reshuffle of the country’s military and security leadership, naming a new commander of the Revolutionary Guard and a new armed-forces chief of staff. He also appointed Mohsen Rezaei — a former Guard commander wanted by Interpol over the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires — as head of the Supreme National Security Council. The moves signalled a consolidation of power as the Hormuz standoff dragged on.
The shake-up, the biggest in months, came as Iran’s leadership steeled itself for a prolonged confrontation with the United States and Israel, and after strikes had killed several senior figures earlier in the war. Installing hardened veterans in the top posts points to a bunker mentality in Tehran rather than any softening. The appointment of Mr Rezaei, a divisive figure abroad, will draw particular scrutiny. A more centralised command could make Iran’s conduct of the standoff harder to predict. Watch how the new commanders shape Iran’s posture over Hormuz.