In today’s world, cybersecurity has become a fundamental pillar of national security as well as economic, social, and political stability. Cybersecurity analysts play a pivotal role in identifying and predicting cyberattacks; however, the true value of their analysis is realized only when it is provided to policymakers in a timely and appropriate manner. Effective interaction between these two groups is a fundamental prerequisite for timely decision-making in securing cyberspace. Nevertheless, research indicates the absence of a specific, localized model for such interaction within Iran’s governance institutions.

This study was conducted with the aim of designing an interaction model between cybersecurity analysts at the AFTA Strategic Center and policymakers at the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, utilizing interdisciplinary knowledge and adopting a cyberspace governance approach as a macro-framework. The research was carried out through in-depth interviews with 15 experts from both institutions (using purposive and snowball sampling). Based on the findings, five fundamental gaps were identified: (1) institutional-governance; (2) linguistic-perceptual; (3) weaknesses in information sharing; (4) inadequacies in evidence-based decision-making; and (5) defects in feedback loops and organizational learning.

To address these gaps, a five-layer interaction model (encompassing executive support, prerequisites, interaction processes, outcomes, and feedback loops) is proposed. A secondary analysis of the findings within the framework of Good Governance principles revealed that these five gaps correspond, respectively, to the violation of the principles of accountability, transparency, participation, evidence-based practices, and learning and adaptability. The proposed model, with innovative components such as the “Bridge-Builder Analyst,” “Permanent Secretariat of Interaction,” and “Formal Feedback Loop,” outlines an operational path for improving interaction and realizing good governance within Iran’s cyberspace.