In a significant move, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, Mohsen Rezaee, as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The appointment comes amidst the ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States. Rezaee, who served as commander-in-chief of the IRGC for 16 years, will also serve as Khamenei's representative in the top decision-making body. This move is seen as a consolidation of power within the Iranian hierarchy and a reinforcement of their hardline stance against the US. The appointment was made on Sunday, with six other military positions being filled on Monday, including Ali Abdollahi as the new chief of staff of the armed forces and Ali Ozmaei as head of the IRGC Navy. Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi was also confirmed as commander-in-chief of the IRGC. Sina Azodi, an assistant professor of Middle East Politics at the George Washington University, suggests that these appointments indicate a continued resistance to US negotiations and strengthen internal cohesion within the IRGC. Rezaee's extensive institutional experience and authority among senior IRGC commanders are expected to reinforce the leadership's control over the organization. The appointment comes after Rezaee's return to military uniform during the ongoing conflict, serving as military adviser to Khamenei since his father's assassination. His defiant stance towards the US, Israel, and regional actors has been consistent since then. He has also expressed opposition to the memorandum of understanding signed with the US in June, which temporarily lifted a naval blockade and suspended oil sanctions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The SNSC, which brings together Iran's presidency, foreign ministry, armed forces, and security and intelligence organisations, is expected to coordinate communication with the office of the supreme leader, who has not been seen or heard from publicly since the start of the war. Local media reports suggest that Rezaee might soon assume the top security position, following the resignation of former security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who was replaced but immediately appointed as political adviser to Khamenei. The appointments are seen as a sign of Iran's firm stance against concessions to the US and a commitment to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz.