The Functional Model of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC/SHOAM) in National Security Governance: Prioritizing the Guiding Role and Limiting Executive Intervention

This study aims to develop a functional model of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC/SHOAM) in the national security governance of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The authors have attempted to represent and prioritize the dimensions, components, and effectiveness criteria of the council. A combined approach and factor analysis method was used to construct the model. Research data was collected through documentary-comparative techniques, expert interviews, and questionnaires. The research findings reveal a functional model with 46 criteria, which are prioritized into the following seven components: policy-making, rule-making, overseeing, arbitrating, coordinating, managing crisis, and supporting. These seven components fall under the three functions mentioned in the constitution, namely “policy determination”, “affairs coordination”, and “threat counteraction”.