Formulation of urban diplomacy strategies in Mashhad with emphasis on Islamic countries

Today, the actors of international relations have become multiple and diverse. One of the most important of these actors is the cities, which is always increasing the importance of their role-playing in the relations between nations. The metropolises of Islamic countries, like other metropolises of the world, are trying to seize the opportunities of globalization. An opportunity that is easily left to competitors in the absence of strategic planning. Therefore, one of the important priorities of Mashhad as a religious metropolis is to exploit the potential of Islamic cities with the help of urban diplomacy. This study aimed to identify the existing capacities and challenges in Mashhad urban diplomacy and to provide appropriate solutions to strengthen Mashhad's relationship with the cities of Islamic countries. Research information is obtained from books, articles, websites, and related documents. In the field stage, interviews with 20 experts in the fields of urban management and planning, political science and international relations, political geography and among university faculty members, city council members and Mashhad municipal officials, experts The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been carried out in Mashhad and other related agencies. The obtained results determine the strengths, weaknesses, and problems of Mashhad in urban diplomacy, and finally, appropriate strategies and measures are proposed for their implementation. Some of the strategies are: strengthening the relationship between the municipality and universities, developing cooperation and using the capacities of international and regional organizations, developing an appropriate mechanism to attract foreign investment, pursuing and developing urban diplomacy.