Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has appointed Ali Larijani as the new secretary for the Supreme National Security Council. State media reported the appointment on Tuesday. Larijani, a veteran politician, previously held the position from 2005 to 2007. He replaces Gen. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, who had been in the role since 2023. Larijani, a moderate conservative, has also served as an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The appointment is seen as a shift toward a more moderate course. It follows the creation of a new defense council to enhance Iran's armed forces.