Supreme National Security Council (Iran)
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 arbiter of Iran's national security interests, operating under the mandate of Article 176 of the Islamic Republic's constitution. Chaired by the President but ultimately answerable to the Supreme Leader, the council translates high-level clerical directives into actionable military and diplomatic policy. Its membership includes the heads of the three branches of government, the chief of the general staff, and the commanders of both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army (Artesh). 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.
Recently, the SNSC has been at the center of high-stakes internal friction regarding the 'Islamabad MOU'—a controversial diplomatic agreement with the U.S. Reports indicate that the council was tasked with formalizing the document under the direct instruction of Mojtaba Khamenei, despite significant pushback from hardline members. This strategic pivot toward de-escalation in the Gulf has been accompanied by the council's establishment of the 'Persian Strait Authority' (PGSA). This new administrative body, operating under SNSC oversight, has published formal regulations for the Strait of Hormuz, requiring commercial vessels to obtain prior clearance and follow designated routes. This transition from military threats to administrative control signals a sophisticated attempt to project Iranian sovereignty over the world's most critical maritime chokepoint.
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 the 'Axis of Resistance' 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 over its regional proxies remains a primary focus for Israeli and allied intelligence services.