The Impacts of Elections on the International Reputation of the Governments: with Emphasis on the Islamic Republic of Iran

The paper intends to answer the question that how the elections can promote the international status and strength of a government. In this way, the following four elements have been discussed with special attention: democratic peace, significance of international legitimacy, public diplomacy and the principle of clean tablet. Free elections, indeed is a part of external interactions of governments, as they send special signals and connotations to other governments and cause their proper reaction. The elections also project democratic norms as well as providing proper bed for policy change which in turn can renovate the international reputation of governments. The Islamic Republic of Iran has already experienced these impacts in particular with respect to the presidential elections. Having said that, the author argues while the international situation for our country had been tense, the elections led to the re-enhancement of the country’s reputation.