Architectural Diplomacy: Iran’s 1971 Imperial Celebration

This study examines how the spectacle of architecture played a key role in Iran’s diplomacy through the 1971 Imperial Celebration. It investigates three case studies, Persepolis Tent City, Persepolis Son et Lumière, and Shahyad Aryamehr Monument, to demonstrate architectural diplomacy enacted in the creation and dissemination of an image of power, building upon recontextualised history, technological prowess, and artistic sophistication with the intention of positioning Iran within the Cold War politics as an independent and modern state with global relevance. This study contributes to the scholarship of architectural diplomacy, the history of modern architecture, and its associated international partnerships and outreach.