New appointment in Iran could strengthen the conservative wing: Zhanna Vardanyan

The question of who will be appointed as the new Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council remains unresolved. Iranian studies scholar Zhanna Vardanyan made this assessment in a conversation with Alpha News, stressing that it is difficult at this stage to predict who might take up the post.
According to her, there are candidates in the running, but the final decision hinges on a number of factors, particularly the military situation on the ground.

“It is hard to say who the next Secretary might be. There are figures who could fill that role, for instance, Saeed Jalili or former Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian, but these are merely plausible scenarios at this point,” Vardanyan noted.

She emphasized that the appointment could also shift Iran’s domestic political balance, depending on which faction the chosen candidate represents. In her assessment, the absence of Larijani could pave the way for the conservative and security-establishment wing to consolidate its influence.

“Larijani was a more pragmatic figure who played a moderating, balancing role. He had a knack for engaging in dialogue with different factions, as well as with the West,” she said.

According to the scholar, if a harder-line, more conservative politician is appointed to the post, the country’s political course could take a more hawkish turn. At the same time, she noted that Iran’s state system is sufficiently resilient and continues to function independently of specific officials.