According to CoinMeta, at a critical moment of diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appointed Ebrahim Raisi-Zolaghdar as political advisor, while Ali Khamenei’s son, Hassan Rouhani, took over as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Raisi-Zolaghdar has previously served as the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards and is currently the Secretary-General of the National Interest Council. Both of the newly appointed officials are considered hardliners, which may influence Tehran’s stance. Political analysts suggest that Raisi-Zolaghdar’s resignation is not related to security issues, and the conditions he proposed for reopening the strait align with Khamenei’s views. Iran’s tough stance stems from the U.S. military presence in the region and its cooperation with Israel. Ultimately, it is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who decides Tehran’s policy.