Supreme National Security Council (Iran)
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) is Iran's highest decision-making body on matters of national security, foreign policy, and defense, serving as the critical junction between the clerical leadership and the military-intelligence apparatus.
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) functions as the primary engine for Iran's strategic policy, chaired by the President but ultimately answerable to the Supreme Leader. In the context of the 2026 regional crisis, the SNSC has emerged as the central forum for debating Iran's response to Israeli kinetic operations and the finalization of diplomatic frameworks with the United States. The council's membership includes the heads of the three branches of government, the chief of the general staff, and the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army, ensuring that all security decisions carry the weight of both the political and military establishments.
Recently, the SNSC has been at the center of high-stakes internal friction. Reports indicate that the council was tasked with approving the 'Islamabad MOU'—a controversial diplomatic agreement with the U.S.—under the direct instruction of Mojtaba Khamenei. Despite significant pushback from hardline members, the council formalized the document, signaling a strategic pivot toward de-escalation in the Gulf. This role extended to the publication of new regulatory procedures for the Strait of Hormuz, where the SNSC now oversees commercial shipping transit and fee waivers as part of the emerging regional order.
For Israel, the SNSC represents the 'brain' of the Iranian regime's multi-front strategy. It is within this council that decisions regarding missile launches toward Israeli territory and the coordination of regional proxies are debated. While the council often projects a unified front, recent intelligence suggests it is a site of intense debate between pragmatists seeking to preserve the regime through diplomacy and hardliners advocating for direct military confrontation. The SNSC's ability to maintain command-and-control remains a primary focus for Israeli and allied intelligence services.