Iran appoints hard-line generals and clerics to senior posts amid ongoing conflict

Iran's supreme leader has reshuffled the country's senior security leadership, appointing veteran Revolutionary Guard commanders and hard-line clerics to top posts. The changes, announced in mid-August, place former Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Hossein Taeb, a longtime intelligence chief, as head of the Basij volunteer force.

Rezaei, who led the Guard during the Iran-Iraq war, warned that any further U.S. action would be met with a "seismic" retaliation and said that continued economic pressure could halt oil exports from the Persian Gulf. He also told a Pakistani mediator that the United States should change its attitude and implement the conditions of the June cease-fire agreement.

Analysts note that the appointments consolidate a circle of senior officers who have served together for decades, aiming to ensure internal cohesion and prevent unrest as the economy strains under sanctions and war costs. The new Basij chief, Taeb, is expected to deepen the force's presence in society and use new technologies to promote its activities abroad.

While hard-liners push for a continued confrontation, some officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, continue to advocate for a negotiated settlement, warning that further escalation could worsen Iran's strategic position.