MADRID – The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) stands as one of the most central and strategic bodies in Iranian politics and governance. Its creation and development reflect the institutional adaptation of the Iranian state to face internal and external challenges, while maintaining autonomy and stability in a context historically marked by regional tensions and international pressures.

Origin, History, and constitutional framework

The SNSC was established in 1989 by Article 176 of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Constitution and has its roots in the accumulated challenges during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), a conflict that was not only a military trial but also an organizational and political test for the young revolutionary state. This context compelled Iranian authorities to create a mechanism capable of coordinating national defense, security, and crisis management in the face of complex and persistent threats.

According to the Constitution, the SNSC is the supreme body responsible for formulating and supervising national security and defense policy, with the mission of protecting the vital interests of the revolution and the territorial integrity of Iran. Its composition is broad and robust: it includes top leaders from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; key ministers such as Defense, Intelligence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs; senior military commanders; and direct delegates from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. The latter, as the highest political authority, plays a decisive role in the strategic guidance of the Council.

This configuration reflects Iran’s intention to balance different centers of power within the state—military, political, religious, and technocratic. The result is an institutional architecture capable of adapting and avoiding critical internal fractures, endowing the system with cohesion and flexibility that have been vital to its resilience in the face of sanctions, crises, and military conflicts.

Functions and strategic role

In practice, the SNSC is neither a static body nor limited to mere technical management. It plays a crucial role as a space for strategic deliberation and political laboratory, constantly calibrating the “red lines” that define national sovereignty, defense, internal security, and Iran’s regional projection. This is where state responses to instability in the Persian Gulf, technological threats, international pressure, and social and economic challenges are designed.
A sign of this institutional flexibility is the recent approval of the National Defense Council as a subsidiary body of the SNSC. Its function is to centrally review and strengthen defense plans and military capabilities in response to new scenarios of hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, and technological modernization, reflecting the state’s capacity to adapt its structures amid evolving threats.

The SNSC has also served as a space to negotiate rapid responses to critical situations, preserving the decisional autonomy of the Iranian state and avoiding external dependencies that could compromise the system’s coherence and continuity.

A resilient and dynamic institution

The SNSC’s institutional resilience should be understood as a sophisticated form of adaptability. Far from weakening the system, this multipolar design strengthens Iran’s ability to respond to cycles of pressure and sanctions, conflicts with regional and global powers, and technological or social crises. The collegiate architecture that integrates military, political, religious, and technocratic actors has proven effective in crisis management and in maintaining national sovereignty and stability.

Beyond simplistic readings that dominate external perceptions of Iranian politics, the SNSC embodies the state’s will to maintain strategic autonomy and coordination capacity in highly demanding scenarios. The Iranian state has turned this space into a permanent negotiation forum, where the foundational elements of the Islamic revolution coexist and balance with the pragmatic needs of contemporary administration.

Ali Larijani is institutionally valued for his management skills, strategic vision, and ability to coordinate policies in the most sensitive areas of the Iranian state. Under his leadership, the SNSC is expected to play a crucial role in consolidating internal cohesion, protecting national sovereignty, and articulating integrated responses amid changing international dynamics.

This appointment is not a mere administrative replacement. It represents, within the Iranian political system, a commitment to professionalization and efficiency at a time when the regional and global environment demands constant coordination and adaptation. Larijani’s oversight of the new Defense Council and the security apparatus underscores the state’s intent to strengthen its reaction capacity, centralize strategic planning, and guarantee institutional continuity amid potential cycles of confrontation.

The SNSC as a pillar of Iranian political autonomy

Understanding the SNSC’s role is essential for a deeper analysis of political dynamics in Iran. The Council does not only act as a crisis manager or advisory space, but as the backbone of the national security and defense system. Its function includes articulating foreign policy and defense, ensuring that national sovereignty is preserved against external impositions and internal manipulations. In an international environment marked by fluctuations, sanctions, and antagonism, the SNSC represents Iran’s will to maintain strategic autonomy and state cohesion.

The SNSC’s strategic design and evolutionary capacity grant the Iranian system a unique strength, often misunderstood from outside. The combination of ideological firmness and political pragmatism has proven effective in facing cycles of crisis and sanctions, allowing Iran to maintain state cohesion and operational capacity even in the most critical moments.

In sum, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stands as a fundamental institution for the country’s stability and strategic development. Its history, structure, and functioning reflect the effort to harmonize the founding principles of the revolution with a flexible administration capable of adapting and reinventing itself amid contemporary challenges.

The appointment of Larijani, with his experience and institutional recognition, reinforces Iran’s commitment to an efficient, coordinated management model focused on protecting sovereignty and state continuity. Beyond external perceptions and political-media simplifications, the SNSC embodies the deep logic of a state that prioritizes autonomy, resilience, and adaptability in an increasingly demanding global environment.

Through its SNSC, Iran projects a model where internal cohesion, strategic responsiveness, and leadership professionalization are central elements to face present and future challenges. Thus, the SNSC stands as a vital core of national sovereignty and an example of institutional governance in a system subjected to constant challenges, sustained by the firm will to preserve autonomy and stability.