Briefing: Iran's intelligence apparatus in 2025

Date Posted: 13-Mar-2025
Author:  Anant Venkatesh, Bangalore

In this report, Anant Venkatesh outlines Iran's intelligence apparatus as of 2025 through open-source research. The report covers each intelligence agency's structure, mandate, key personnel in charge, resources, and relationships with other agencies in the country

Disclaimer on sources

An article in October 2014 by the state-affiliated Fars News Agency claimed the existence of between 12 to 16 agencies in the Iranian intelligence apparatus. Meanwhile, a 2024 book by Steven Ward, titled Iran's Ministry of Intelligence: A Concise History , estimates up to 21 formal agencies in the Iranian intelligence apparatus.

There has been no official or semi-official attempt by Iran, at least since 2014, to divulge details of the holistic structure and division of labour in its intelligence apparatus. As a result, any information on the structure of the country's intelligence apparatus is likely to carry the risk of either pro-Iran or pro-opposition political bias and is likely to be outdated or even false.

Another factor complicating an open-source understanding of Iran's intelligence apparatus is that certain Farsi words such as اطّلاعات (ettela'at ) can be translated into and interpreted in English as “information”, “intelligence”, and even “espionage”. This has further contributed to sources differing on the number, position, and nature of the agencies of the apparatus.

This being said, Janes has attempted to formulate its own understanding and structure of Iran's intelligence apparatus based on informed deductions derived from a variety of both English and Farsi, as well as pro-Iran and pro-opposition sources. The existence, mandates, and other details of the agencies mentioned below have been assessed by Janes with a moderate degree of confidence, unless specified otherwise, and are constrained by the limitations of open-source information (OSINF).

Furthermore, to maintain a high standard of analytical rigour, Janes has sought to avoid mentioning specific components of the intelligence apparatus that find uncorroborated mentions in only one open source. These include components such as the ‘Whole of State Protection Organisation' and the National Security Strategic Research Center, among others.

Overview

Exercising overarching authority at all levels of the Islamic Republic of Iran's intelligence apparatus is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who possesses the power to authorise activities, overturn decisions, and decide agendas, among other functions. Whether directly or indirectly, all Iranian intelligence agencies report to the supreme leader. This is notwithstanding any constitutional provisions that require an agency to be answerable to other Iranian leaders, such as the president.

A second entity that commands all components of the intelligence apparatus, while itself being answerable to Khamenei, is the Intelligence Coordination Council (ICC).

Under the ICC's purview as of March 2025, according to the open sources, there exist at least four primary agencies of Iran's intelligence apparatus. These include the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), and the three branches of the Iranian Armed Forces, namely the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), the Law Enforcement Command (LEC), and the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh).

The IRGC, LEC, and Artesh very likely possess the following sub-divisions, among others:

• A conventional intelligence unit in charge of co-ordinating, and at times, leading the more offensive intelligence activities of the branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. This can be both domestic and international in its scope of activities.
• A counter-intelligence defensive unit charged with preventing espionage, sabotage, and other intelligence activities by Iran's adversaries. This can be both domestic and international in its scope of activities.
• An inward-looking “protection” organisation responsible for countering espionage within the ranks of the branches of the Iranian Armed Forces and rooting out infiltrators.
• A cyber division charged with monitoring online spaces for the relevant branch of the Iranian Armed Forces.

In addition to the four primary agencies mentioned above, there exist other components of the Iranian intelligence apparatus, including those affiliated with the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).At the onset, it is worth noting that Iran's intelligence apparatus likely also comprises other components that do not necessarily conform to the structure, mandate, and operations of conventional intelligence agencies. These include more loosely organised hacking groups, its diplomats and other government employees working abroad, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps – Quds Force (IRGC-QF), and certain segments of the judiciary, among others. These components, similar to the three branches of the Iranian Armed Forces mentioned above, are likely to possess their own specialised intelligence, counterintelligence, cyber defence, and “protection” sub-components.

Such components and sub-components have been excluded from this report owing to the above-mentioned constraints in terms of sources and the availability of robust and reliable OSINF.

Within this context, this report seeks to outline the most holistic picture of the most significant agencies in the Iranian intelligence apparatus as per OSINF.

Lastly, it is also worth noting that the functions of the agencies of Iran's intelligence apparatus are likely to not be mutually exclusive and well-demarcated, with overlaps and competition almost certain to exist in this regard.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Anadolu via Getty Images

Intelligence Coordination Council

Structure
A 2014 publication by Rooz Online, a website affiliated with the pro-opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) group, stated that the ICC comprises nine members including “the minister of intelligence, the attorney general, the Director of the Revolutionary Guards Force Intelligence Security, the Director of the Revolutionary Guards Force Intelligence, the Director of Military Intelligence Security, the Director of Military Intelligence, the Director of Police Intelligence Security, or his fully authorised representative, and the minister of foreign affairs or his fully authorised representative”. A December 2022 report by pro-opposition media outlet Iran International claimed that the ICC comprises at least 13 to 16 agencies.

Mandate
An article from October 2014 by the Fars News Agency stated that the ICC is “responsible for co-ordinating between the various intelligence units in the country's security intelligence agencies”. A March 2024 report by the Israeli Alma Research and Education Center added that the ICC is “in effect an umbrella organisation” for the agencies of the intelligence apparatus and serves to co-ordinate Iran's intelligence activities with the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Key individuals in charge
A September 2021 report by the semi-official Mehr News Agency stated that the ICC's meetings are chaired by the minister of intelligence.

Relationship with other agencies within Iran
The ICC, as stated above, co-ordinates the activities of all of Iran's intelligence organisations.
Similar to other agencies within Iran's intelligence apparatus, the ICC almost certainly remains under Khamenei's control.
For more information, please see Briefings Iran’s Intelligence apparatus in 2025