Objective:

Disaster and crisis management, as well as policymaking and planning for disaster risk reduction, due to their multidimensional and interdisciplinary nature and the involvement of multiple actors, require the participation and coordination of a wide range of stakeholders across different levels of governance and society. Experience from recent crises indicates that a lack of clear understanding of stakeholders’ roles, power, and interests can lead to poor coordination, overlapping responsibilities, and reduced effectiveness of interventions. This study aims to analyze and clarify the roles and positions of multiple stakeholders within Iran’s disaster management system and to propose an analytical framework for their classification and targeted management across different stages of the disaster management process, including prevention and risk reduction, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Methodology:

This applied study adopts a qualitative case-study approach, focusing on Iran’s disaster management system. In the first stage, a list of key and supporting stakeholders was identified based on upstream policy documents, relevant laws and regulations—particularly the National Disaster Management Law. Data were then collected through focus group discussions and consultative workshops involving disaster management experts and representatives of executive agencies. Data analysis was conducted using the power–interest matrix to determine stakeholders’ levels of influence and interests across different phases of disaster management.

Findings:

The results indicate that at each stage of the disaster management process, stakeholders can be classified into four main groups with varying levels of power and interest: key stakeholders with high power and high interest; stakeholders with high power but low interest; stakeholders with low power but high interest; and stakeholders with low power and low interest. Distinct engagement strategies can be defined for each group, including active and continuous participation, satisfaction management and targeted communication, empowerment and meaningful engagement, or minimal involvement.

Conclusion:

The findings demonstrate that the systematic application of stakeholder analysis and the power–interest matrix can significantly enhance inter-sectoral coordination, clarify roles, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the disaster management system. Beyond strengthening the theoretical foundations of disaster management, this approach offers a practical tool for policymaking, planning, and decision-making across all phases of disaster management (before, during, and after disasters).