Analyzing and Classifying the Urban Diplomacy Problems in Mashhad Al Reza

With the expansion of the globalization process, the decline of centralism idea and the dimming of the nation-state’s role in international relations, the role of local government and cities in organizing and promoting diplomacy has become more prominent and urban diplomacy in order to provide the benefits and interest of the city and Citizens in various cultural, social, economic and ... areas have been expanded. Accordingly, it is an undeniable necessity to pay attention to the advancement of urban diplomacy in Iran in order to guarantee and provide urban and national interests through the growth and expansion of intercultural and economic exchanges. Considering the cultural, historical and geographical position of Mashhad as the second largest city in Iran, this study focused on identifying and classifying the problems of urban diplomacy in this city with the method of documentary studies and conducting qualitative interviews with urban diplomacy experts. The study of the data indicated that there is no creative and progressive diplomacy in Mashhad city to have a significant role in international interactions. Accordingly, for clarification of problems, the data has been organized and categorized in 15 themes by using thematic analysis and finally these themes have been classified in 4 main problems; “Lack of awareness of one's own and other's capacities and potentials”, “conservative centralist governance”, “the disorder of the political economy of the city” and “International restrictions”. These are the main problems that prevent city branding and creative and progressive urban diplomacy.