A systems analysis of barriers to effective national incident management in Iran

Iran’s high disaster risk necessitates a robust National Incident Management System (NIMS), yet its implementation faces deep-rooted barriers. This qualitative study explored these systemic challenges through thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 33 senior managers and specialists from Iran’s key disaster management organizations in 2025. Analysis identified six interconnected themes: Governance & Strategy; Structure & Organization; Coordination & Communications; Human Resources; Equipment & Logistics; and Culture & Participation. These factors were found to form a self-reinforcing vicious cycle, where governance failures create structural and cultural deficiencies that perpetuate operational breakdowns, which in turn reinforcing weak governance. The study concludes that overcoming these interdependent barriers requires integrated, multi-level policy interventions targeting governance, culture, and coordination simultaneously. This framework offers critical insights for building resilient national systems in other high-risk, resource-constrained contexts globally.