Iran replaces top security official amid Strait of Hormuz talks

Iran has swapped out the head of its Supreme National Security Council in the middle of sensitive negotiations over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who took over as SNSC secretary on March 24, 2026, was removed on August 9, barely five months into his tenure. He had been appointed to succeed Ali Larijani, who was assassinated in March 2026. The Strait that moves global energy The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel between Iran and Oman that serves as the chokepoint for a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. As of early August 2026, negotiations involving Iran and Oman, with reported US participation, have been focused on establishing safe shipping lanes and some form of joint management of traffic through the waterway. The talks are not about fully reopening the Strait. They are focused on interim security arrangements. Iran and Oman have reportedly finalized geographic coordinates for shipping routes through the Strait, and the two sides are said to be close to producing a draft joint statement on management and traffic protocols. Tehran has made clear that any broader reopening remains conditional. According ...