Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who has been named to replace Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani — assassinated last week — has served several high-ranking positions in Iran’s governance structure, Al Jazeera notes.

After serving in the 1980s war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, Zolghadr was the head of the IRGC joint staff for eight years, and then as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Guards for another eight years, AFP says.

He has also been the chief of the joint staff of the IRGC, deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC, and the deputy chief of security and law enforcement of the Interior Ministry.

Since 2023, he had been the secretary of the Expediency Council, a powerful body which plays both an advisory and mediating role between Iran’s various power structures and the supreme leader.