امیرحسین عرب پور

Soft power is the ability to create compliance through credibility in domestic and foreign public opinion and to exert indirect influence on other global actors, independent of hard power resources such as military capability, geographical limitations, and economic sanctions. This concept is increasingly gaining attention from international actors and analysts. Presenting a national image and brand is one of the main factors in soft power, which is often a side effect or sometimes a direct result of countries' economic diplomacy. The main question is how the relationship between strengthening the dimensions of economic diplomacy—meaning the mutual benefit between foreign policy and the economy of countries—and improving national image, and consequently enhancing their soft power, exists. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore and analyze the role of economic diplomacy in improving national image and enhancing soft power, focusing on the case of China. Analyzing China's experience in economic diplomacy through a case study method and descriptive-analytical approach shows that this country is one of the successful examples that, through designing and implementing a dynamic and effective form of trade diversification, direct and joint foreign investments prioritizing developing countries and infrastructure and technology sectors, strengthening tourism, providing developmental aid, managing migration flows, and creating regional and international economic initiatives, has significantly transformed its soft power status while also gaining direct economic and political benefits. This approach and its results from China's experience can be extensively utilized in formulating strategies, policies, and necessary actions for the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Stopping the increasing trend of globalization as a result of various political and social developments has caused attention to be drawn from global value chains to regionalism and the development of regional value chains. This can be a special opportunity for our country, which has largely been deprived of the benefits of the globalization of production, but has good regional power and sphere of influence. The aim of this research is to understand the conceptual dimensions of the regional value chain in recent increasing studies and further to understand the place of regional agreements in the creation of these chains. For this purpose, based on the review of the research background, the recent studies in the field of regional value chain have been categorized first, and then a conceptual framework of the role of regional agreements in the development of regional value chains has been presented including four axes of the creation of trade, reduction of production costs, allocation of production factors, and incentives for competition and innovation. In order to understand more precisely the dimensions of the role of regional links as the central mechanism of creating these chains, a case study has been conducted on three important regional agreements including ASEAN, Eurasia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and their role in development. Regional value chains are explained. In this research, the key approaches for Iran's effective presence in regional production are presented by leveraging expected results from regional trade agreements.

In the opinion of the Supreme Leader, the young and efficient human force with deep and authentic faith and religion is considered the most important promising capacity of the country for the creation of a new Islamic civilization and preparation for the sunrise of the Supreme Province. It can be claimed that forming an Islamic government and implementing the religion as much as possible is part of the duties of those who are waiting. The revolutionary and civilization-building expectation that was raised after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran was the establishment of a new Islamic civilization with the aim of laying the groundwork for the emergence of Hazrat Wali Asr considered as its goal. This research seeks to explain the role of young people waiting for a revolution in the statement of the second step of the revolution. The research method of this article is descriptive-analytical and has used library resources. Finally, the article came to the conclusion that the active expectation of a revolution with the special presence of young people can be a strategy for building a new Islamic civilization

The national image and brand of a country is created and discussed in the international system and among global public opinion. Different countries also seek to present an inspiring and attractive image of themselves through various means. An image that, in addition to showing the power of a nation, shows the sphere of influence and effective activism in the international arena. Economic and commercial diplomacy is the field of foreign policy action that takes advantage of economic power at bilateral, regional and international levels in order to secure national interests as well as national branding. Undoubtedly, it is the duty of every government to provide the necessary facilities to improve the level of empowerment and welfare for the people in order to improve the national image of the country. The main goal of this research is to analyze the position and role of economic and commercial diplomacy in promoting the national brand of countries. The question of the current research is how successful countries have benefited from economic and commercial diplomacy in the field of national branding? The research method of the research is based on library sources, descriptive-analytical and has used a case study. Based on this, the three successful experiences of China, Turkey and Qatar in using economic and commercial diplomacy strategies to strengthen the national brand have been examined. Expanding trade with developing countries, attracting foreign investment, strengthening tourism, granting development aid, exporting technological products, participating in international economic organizations and forums, and using the competitive advantages of each country have been the main lessons learned from the experience of the selected countries, which can be used to promote The national brand of the Islamic Republic of Iran should be carefully considered.

Today, many countries, considering their domestic capacities and international opportunities, are trying to build a national brand in order to improve their national identity and present a powerful and inspiring image in foreign minds. The progress and development of Makran coasts relies on having a unique regional development strategy (RDS) whose requirements are derived from the upstream documents and general policies of the country. The main research question is what is the position of the concept of national brand in the regional development model of Makran coast based on upstream documents? The current research, using the method of thematic analysis, examined the upstream documents and selected general policies of the country and concluded eight requirements in the regional development model of Makran. The results show that in the eyes of policymakers, the realization of the development of Makran coast depends on the formulation of national plans based on regional advantages, the transformation of the Makran region into a set of large centers and economic hubs with an international role, the promotion of economic diplomacy (with priority to neighbors and Islamic countries), activation The role of transit (with emphasis on the North-South corridor) is to pay attention to the government's protectionist attitude towards the regional development of Makran, give priority to knowledge-based industries and businesses, build a national brand, strengthen tourism and export handicrafts.

Today, managing the national image and aligning other international actors with one’s own interests and policies comprises half of the power policies, and to achieve this, the international political marketing seeks to present a favorable image of a country in the international arena. The research question is: What are the dimensions and components of the presented image of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the years 2005 - 2009 in the international arena? Due to its exploratory nature, this research lacks a hypothesis. In other words, here, the researcher seeks to obtain information that can help him understand the subject of the research well. The research method is qualitative using content analysis. The data collection method is based on the available documents about the 9th administration president's interviews with foreign media. Based on this, the sample data, including Mr. Ahmadinejad's interviews with foreign media from 2005 to 2009, were analyzed using content analysis method. The results show that the image of the Islamic Republic of Iran presented to the public opinion worldwide in the years 2005-2009, and in the context of the 9th administration foreign policy discourse, has three identity formation components: religious identity, revolutionary identity, and civilizational identity, having as their core the elements of right-seeking and justice-seeking.

Water shortages have turned into one of the most important issues in the Middle East and in particular for the Islamic Republic of Iran. The yearly water use in Iranian homes is twice the world average. It is for this reason that it is necessary to try and reform the usage pattern of Iranian households. Various studies have shown, the most significant reasons for excessive water usage is the public’s lack of education regarding correct water usage. Thus, the matter of water shortages must be assessed within the frameworks of societal systems and solutions, which encourage public participation, must be offered. These systems are referred to as Water Governance. In order to provide a suitable framework for correct water usage, the public’s knowledge in this regard and their participation must be increased and their outlook on water usage must also be altered. A suitable tool, which can be used to bring about public awareness and a change of attitude towards water usage, is to create a social market for it. The main aspect of social marketing is the voluntary alteration of societal norms.Social marketing uses the principles and methods of commercial marketing to create communication and a transfer of ideals aimed to affect the behavior of certain targeted people. Therefore, this study has taken into account the necessity of reforming Water Governance, and has analyzed the role of social marketing in changing the attitudes towards water usage and the voluntary participation of people in this initiative. A qualitative method was employed, previous studies were analyzed, and library sources were used. This study found, using new forms of technology to reduce water usage, placing penalties and rewards, making advertisements and informing the public, law reforms and policy changes, the role of families and schools, religious teachings and public organizations, the expansion of virtual societal campaigns, education and awareness, the participation of governmental and societal organizations, and public determination, are all issues that must be addressed within the framework of social marketing.

Achieving an “Islamic civilization”, as the transcendent goal of Islamic society, has a direct relationship with the issue of “Mahdism. The epistemological foundations of “Mahdism” as the “guiding star”, guide the Islamic societies to a perfect society profiting an ideal civilization by drawing an achievable future. The “revolutionary awaiting”, which was raised after the victory of Islamic Revolution, has chosen the establishment of a new Islamic civilization as its main goal to prepare the ground for the appearance of the Imam of the Time (A.S). The present study, with a descriptive-analytic method, at first deals with the scientific typology of different kinds of “active awaiting” (ritual, military and revolutionary) and then, explains the intellectual system of Ayatollah Khamenei in relation to the revolutionary active awaiting and its relationship with the civilization. And finally, by focusing on the “awaiting person”, it tries to draw and introduce a conceptual model based on the course of the stages of ‘humanization”, ‘religious socialization” and “nation-building” in order to achieve a ‘new Islamic civilization”.