Exhibition Diplomacy: A Strategy for Branding Iran’s Economy
Hosting international exhibitions across the globe has become a widely accepted practice—not merely as promotional or commercial gatherings but as strategic instruments contributing to sustainable development and international cooperation. These events provide countries with an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and promote national branding. In this regard, international exhibitions serve as multidimensional platforms for advancing economic, technological, cultural, and diplomatic objectives—an approach referred to as exhibition diplomacy.
Exhibition diplomacy is not simply a potential opportunity but a strategic necessity for countries seeking to enhance their position in the global value chain and mitigate economic restrictions. In this context, the Islamic Republic of Iran exemplifies a nation with a sanctions-affected economy that, despite certain developmental challenges, views the organization of international exhibitions as a means of unlocking its latent capacities and revitalizing its economic image. Notable examples include Iran’s hosting of Iran Expo 2025, the Iran-Africa Trade Summit, and the International Oil and Gas Exhibition, among others. The key objectives of such initiatives can be summarized as follows:
Attracting Foreign Investment and Facilitating Informal Interactions
International exhibitions offer a platform for direct engagement between Iranian and foreign economic actors, independent of formal financial mechanisms that are often restricted by sanctions. These informal networks sometimes lead to flexible trade agreements and joint ventures. Moreover, such platforms attract foreign investors—particularly from neighboring and Asian partner countries—who are interested in entering or expanding their presence in the Iranian market.
Promoting Non-Oil Exports
Given the limitations on oil exports, enhancing non-oil exports has become a strategic priority. International exhibitions play a vital role in this regard by presenting Iran’s industrial, agricultural, and service sector capacities to international markets, thereby facilitating the development of new export destinations.
Showcasing Domestic Capabilities and Enhancing the National Brand
Under sanction conditions, the significance of self-reliance and domestic production increases. International exhibitions serve as a window into Iran’s technological achievements and industrial strengths, helping to reinforce the national brand and attract international interest in Iranian products.
Facilitating Technology Transfer and Knowledge Exchange
The presence of foreign firms at exhibitions fosters technological exchange, introduces domestic producers to international innovations, and contributes to the advancement of local technical knowledge. This is particularly important in the current environment, where access to foreign technology and equipment is limited due to sanctions.
Generating Employment and Supporting Business Tourism
Exhibitions create both direct and indirect job opportunities—short-term and long-term—and also stimulate business tourism. This, in turn, drives revenue growth in various service sectors, including hospitality, transportation, and food services.
Today, exhibition diplomacy for Iran is not merely an economic initiative—it is a comprehensive national strategy aimed at fostering intelligent and constructive engagement with the international community under the prevailing conditions of sanctions. This multidimensional approach integrates the spheres of economy, culture, technology, and diplomacy, and with effective planning and proactive policy implementation, can evolve into a powerful mechanism for restoring Iran’s regional and international standing. International exhibitions must not be perceived as isolated or symbolic events but rather as integral elements of a long-term strategy for developing a resilient economy and strengthening Iran’s national brand.
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Iran”s intelligence operation dealt ‘severe blow’ to Israel
The operation delivered a severe blow to the Zionist regime and further eroded its image of invincibility, the ministry stated.
In a statement outlining details of the operation on Tuesday, the ministry called the achievement a “watershed moment” in the Zionist regime’s “shameful” history of intelligence and security failures, and a “historic, unique” victory for the Resistance Axis.
“What we now hold comes at a time when the Zionist regime strives to portray itself as impervious to infiltration.”
“While they were reviewing lessons from previous intelligence defeats and believed they had sealed off every avenue of infiltration, they faced the epic ‘Al-Aqsa Storm’ operation by the heroic Palestinian combatants, which laid bare an unparalleled intelligence-security fiasco,” the statement said.
The ministry said that the operation was recently completed successfully under the Israeli regime”s strictest security protocols.
The statement added that the methods used to access and exfiltrate the documents from the occupied Palestinian territories were so ingeniously designed and executed that they completely neutralized the regime’s multiple security layers.
“The Zionist regime, highly focused on safeguarding these strategic files, had imposed its strictest security protocols. Accordingly, our operatives had to implement a multi-layered, highly sophisticated plan whose complexity remains beyond the regime’s comprehension or the reach of any of its showy measures,” the statement stressed.
It further said that the regime had recently resorted to arresting and sacrificing a few of its own settlers in a sham display to repair its tarnished image—an effort that proved utterly fruitless.
This referred to the arrest of several settlers in recent months by the regime”s security forces on claims they were working for Iranian intelligence.
“Israeli docs already in use”
The ministry stated that a significant volume of these materials is already being used by Iran’s armed forces, and that portions can be exchanged with friendly states or provided to anti-Zionist organizations.
“In terms of content, these documents, while diverse in subject, are of strategic, practical, research, and scientific value.”
“Some of this information pertains to the regime’s illegal and covert nuclear weapons programs, including its facilities, research, and communications with American and European institutions, as well as its current and future nuclear plans,” the statement read.
It added that other portions include files on military and missile programs, technical dossiers on dual-use science and technology projects, and the names, profiles, photographs, and addresses of the managers, officials, and scientists involved.
“Notably, the documents reveal that the Zionist regime employs not only its own citizens but also foreign-national researchers, whose identities are now known.”
The ministry said that select portions of the trove will be published for public information, while scientific and research findings suitable for domestic use will be shared with relevant institutions.
“Role of Western backers revealed”
The statement also said the documents reveal the depth of Western support for Israel”s arms programs and its nuclear development.
The ministry lamented that the same countries have for decades “hypocritically” accused Iran of pursuing non-peaceful goals and imposed the harshest pressures on the country under such pretexts.
“The papers clearly show how the United States and certain European countries have acted as backers, collaborators, and contractors in advancing the criminal Zionist regime’s arms programs. Yet, through double standards and falsehoods, they accuse the Islamic Republic of Iran of pursuing non-peaceful ends,” the statement said.
Among the most striking findings are the multiple spurious reports the Zionist regime submitted to various international bodies, alleging that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program constitutes wrongdoing, which were then echoed by those bodies almost verbatim, according to the statement.
The ministry was referring to a probe by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of what it calls uranium traces in several undeclared nuclear sites in Iran.
Iran has called the entire case an Israeli fabrication and urged the agency to distance itself from the regime and protect its professional independence.
The West has long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, without providing any evidence.
Tehran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful and part of the country”s scientific progress.
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Iran”s foreign minister in Norway for talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oslo, the capital of Norway, where he was welcomed by local officials and the head of the Iranian Embassy in Norway.
Araghchi is scheduled to deliver a speech at the 22nd edition of the Oslo Forum.
During his visit, he will also hold bilateral meetings with senior Norwegian officials, representatives of other participating countries, and renowned global experts attending the event.
The Oslo Forum convenes senior conflict mediators, high-level decision makers, key peace process actors, analysts, and experts in an informal and discreet retreat to share their experiences, identify challenges, and reflect on mediation practice.
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Iran ready to respond to IAEA resolution: Spox.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Tehran”s options in response to such a resolution have been prepared in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).
He criticized a recent report by the IAEA Director General on Iran’s nuclear program, which claimed that Iran had failed to report its nuclear activities at three undeclared locations and raised concerns about the country’s stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity.
Baghaei said Rafael Grossi’s report is politically motivated to serve the agendas of the US and its European allies.
He said Grossi’s remarks serve the political objectives of countries that are Iran”s adversaries.
Baghaei emphasized that Iran expects the IAEA chief to condemn the repeated threats posed by the US and Israel, rather than attempting to justify them.
He reiterated that, according to IAEA”s standards and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran’s nuclear program has never deviated from its peaceful course.
Iranian officials have previously censured the confidential report by the IAEA, warning that any politically motivated move against the Islamic Republic could derail Tehran’s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
The agency has, over the past years, levied multiple politically-tainted accusations against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear file despite its own reports that have on numerous occasions attested to the peacefulness of Tehran’s nuclear program.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s nuclear chief said the recent remarks by the head of the UN atomic agency about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities are void of technical and legal validity, while also chiming in with Zionist psychological operations against Tehran.
Mohammad Eslami, head of the AEOI, made the remarks while addressing the statement made by Grossi.
“Mr. Grossi’s remarks lack technical and legal aspects,” the Iranian official said, describing the IAEA chief’s discourse as totally being the product of “the psychological and political operations that the Zionist regime [of Israel] has been performing” against the Islamic Republic.
He said by passing the remarks, Grossi had clearly shown “his [true] character,” and proven to be among those who have been waging psyops against Iran for a long.
The Islamic Republic, though, is the most-vetted member of the IAEA, with the agency having found no evidence in support of the alleged “diversion.”
Tehran, itself, has also categorically ruled out the prospect of either pursuing, obtaining, or maintaining nuclear arms in line with moral and religious guidelines.
The campaign has, most recently, manifested itself in the form of European states reportedly planning to force the IAEA to adopt an anti-Iran resolution that could trigger “snapback” of the United Nations sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The agency’s Board of Governors could issue a resolution against the country during its scheduled session on Monday under pressure.
Source: Marzieh Rahmani