Supreme National Security Council
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) is Iran's highest decision-making body for defense and foreign policy, serving as the critical junction where the clerical leadership, government officials, and military commanders formalize the Islamic Republic's strategic response to regional crises.
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) functions as the ultimate deliberative body for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s strategic interests. Chaired by the President but ultimately answerable to the Supreme Leader, the council integrates the views of the regular military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the civilian government. In the context of Israel’s security, the SNSC is the venue where decisions regarding large-scale missile strikes, regional proxy coordination, and diplomatic 'red lines' are finalized. In June 2026, the council emerged as a central actor in the high-stakes negotiations surrounding the 'Islamabad Agreement' with the United States. Despite internal friction from hardline members, the SNSC provided the formal authorization for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) after receiving personal guarantees regarding the protection of the 'Resistance Front.' However, the council’s role is not limited to diplomacy; it simultaneously oversees the administrative and military escalation in the Strait of Hormuz. Recent directives from the SNSC established the 'Persian Strait Authority' (PGSA), a move that transitions Iranian control over the critical maritime chokepoint from purely kinetic threats to a formalized administrative framework. This dual-track approach—approving diplomatic frameworks while tightening the grip on global energy routes—underscores the council's role in managing Iran's survival and regional hegemony. For Israel, the SNSC represents the strategic nerve center that must be monitored to distinguish between the regime's psychological warfare and its actual operational intent.