On Monday, Iran removed its top national security official, Ali Shamkhani, after he came under scrutiny over his close ties with a high-ranking British spy. Shamkhani had been secretary of the Supreme National Council, which shapes Iranian security and foreign policy, for a decade. He was replaced with a senior naval commander of the Revolutionary Guards with little experience in civilian politics.
The ouster of Shamkhani was seen as a result of a number of controversies, including corruption allegations and the failure of the talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. He was also blamed for the handling of domestic turmoil in the monthslong uprising demanding the ouster of the ruling clerics.
The new national security adviser, General Ali Akbar Ahmadian, does not have much experience in foreign policy or domestic national security issues. Analysts say this could lead to a reset or delays on key issues such as the future of the nuclear deal, the detainee negotiations with the U.S. and regional diplomacy.