Supreme National Security Council


Supreme National Security Council, also Supreme Council for National Security, is the national security council of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The council was formed for the protection and support of national interests and Islamic revolution and territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the country. This institution was founded during the 1989 revision of the constitution.
The current secretary of the Supreme National Security Council is Ali Larijani. He was appointed to position of secretary by President Masoud Pezeshkian and confirmation of the supreme leader on 5 August 2025.

Functions

The responsibilities of the council are defined by the constitution as:
  1. Determining the defense and national security policies of the country within the framework of general policies determined by the Supreme Leader.
  2. Coordination of political activities, intelligence, social, cultural and economic fields relating to general policies of defense and national security.
  3. Exploitation of material and intellectual resources of the country for facing the internal and external threats.

    Nuclear policy

Supreme National Security Council formulates the country's nuclear policy. The nuclear policies formulated by the council would become effective if they are confirmed by the Supreme Leader. The secretary of the Supreme council was the chief nuclear negotiator of Iran until 5 September 2013 when responsibility for nuclear talks was assigned to the ministry of foreign affairs.

Composition

This National Security Council is mandated by Article 176 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran to be presided over by the president of the country. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei selects the secretary of the Supreme council. The decisions of the Council are effective after the confirmation by the Supreme Leader. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council are at the top of the foreign policy decisions process.

List of secretaries

Members

As of 2025, following members are:
#AppointerEx officio memberCurrent officeholderPosition in the Supreme Council
1Popular electionPresidentMasoud PezeshkianChairman
2Indirect electionSpeaker of the ParliamentMohammad Bagher GhalibafMember
3Supreme LeaderChief JusticeGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'iMember
4Supreme LeaderAli LarijaniSecretary
5Supreme LeaderSaeed JaliliMember
6Supreme LeaderChief of the General StaffMG Abdolrahim MousaviMember
7Supreme LeaderChief of the ArmyMG Amir HatamiMember
8Supreme LeaderChief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard CorpsMG Mohammad PakpourMember
9PresidentMinister of Foreign AffairsAbbas AraghchiMember
10PresidentMinister of the InteriorBG Eskandar MomeniMember
11PresidentMinister of IntelligenceEsmaeil KhatibMember
12PresidentHead of Plan and Budget OrganizationHamid PourmohammadiMember
13PresidentMinister related with the Subject of Agenda of the CouncilOther Cabinet MinistersTemporary member