Iran’s Science Diplomacy in its Relations with Armenia

Science diplomacy has gained increasing importance in the field of international relations in the light of the rapid growth and increasing role of knowledge and technology in human life in the 21st century. On the one hand Iran's tendency to advance in the fields of science and technology and its achievements in these fields, and on the other hand the approach taken by its diplomatic apparatus in using soft power and its concentration on the increasing cooperation with its neighbors, have proposed science diplomacy as a suitable instrument to help Iran achieve its objectives. In this context, this study, utilizing a descriptive-analytical method, has tried to assess Iran’s science diplomacy in relations with Armenia as one its neighbor. First, a comprehensive picture of the concept of science diplomacy is provide, then while presenting a general picture of Iran-Armenia relations, the various dimensions of Iran’s applied science diplomacy in relations with Armina are examined. The authors have tried to answer for the following questions: “What are the positional and dimensional features of Iran’s science diplomacy in relations with Armenia? And by what means and how can this type of diplomacy be promoted?” The hypothesis put to test is that "Iran’s science diplomacy in relations with Armenia is not commensurate with the potential capacities and there are missing elements in all its dimensions that require initiatives to be noticed and incorporated in order to promote the ties. In the concluding part of the article, the findings, their analyses and results achieved have provided solid ground to offer suggestions to improve Iran’s science diplomacy in relations with Armenia.