In a recent interview with Mehr News Agency, Seyed Emamian, co-founder and senior advisor of the Governance and Policy Think Tank (GPTT), highlighted several key obstacles to Intellectual diplomacy in Iran. He identified securitization, centralization, threat-based thinking, and bureaucratic sectionalism within the country’s foreign policy apparatus as significant barriers.
Emamian argued that Intellectual diplomacy should aim to dismantle the monopoly held by official authorities and institutions over international relations, advocating for the inclusion of non-governmental elites. He emphasized that effective Intellectual diplomacy relies on a variety of institutional platforms, including research centers, social elites, international media, consulting institutions, and think tanks.
The significance of Intellectual diplomacy, according to Emamian, lies in its ability to foster mutual understanding, facilitate the exchange of strategic information, convey political messages, and identify solutions to diplomatic stalemates. These functions are essential for advancing Iran’s interests on the global stage.