Cultural Diplomacy of Islamic Republic of Iran in Middle East

Compilation and implementation of efficient cultural diplomacy serves as the most important mechanism and tool for materialization of the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policy. That’s of importance regarding the position of cultural diplomacy in establishing relations with the target community’s elite and people at large. Policy makers, officials, statesmen and scientific associations in Islamic Republic of Iran have over recent years found importance of and the need for growing expansion of cultural diplomacy. To this end, extensive investment and activities have been made; scientifically and theoretically the measures have been in the form of writing articles and books and holding seminars and sessions; while the measures taken practically have been in the form of establishing and expanding mechanisms inside and outside the country, quantitative and qualitative expansion of media activities, especially setting up different radio and TV networks, accepting foreign students and theology students, exchange of different delegates of elite and reference groups and so on. It is of importance and double priority for Islamic Republic to launch cultural diplomacy in the Middle East due to the fact that over recent years, we have been witnessing two strong waves of Iranophobia and Shiiaphobia, raised by regional and trans-regional actors, to isolate Tehran in political-security and cultural domains. The importance of this comes from the position of cultural diplomacy in communicating with the elites and the general public of the target community. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, in recent years, the issue of the importance and development of cultural diplomacy has been increasingly considered by policymakers, officials, agents and scientific societies, and in this regard, large investments and activities are scientifically and theoretically through articles, books, conferences and Meetings, as well as practical ones, have been conducted through the creation and expansion of mechanisms inside and outside the country, quantitative and qualitative development of media activities, especially the launch of various radio and television networks, admission of students and foreign students, exchange of various delegations from elites and reference groups. The need for cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic in the Middle East is therefore doubly important and a priority that in recent years has witnessed the intensification of two strong waves of Iranophobia and Shiaophobia by regional and trans-regional actors in order to isolate Tehran. This article aims to explain and define cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic in the Middle East. Author believes that politicosocio- cultural developments and changes in the Middle East over the past few years along with the two afore-mentioned strong waves, mandate reconsidering Iran’s foreign policy approach towards using tools of cultural diplomacy and redefining traditional cultural diplomacy.