Summer School of the School of International Relations

Summer School of the School of International Relations Held in July and August 2026

The School of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a five-day summer school aimed at strengthening participants’ professional and specialized skills in international relations and diplomacy, with the participation of faculty members and experts. The opening ceremony and first day of the program were held on July 22, 2026, with remarks by Dr. Mohammad Reza Dehshiri, Dean of the School of International Relations, and lectures by Dr. Amirhossein Nikbin and Mr. Amir Reza Sherkat on diplomatic protocol. The session covered topics including diplomatic etiquette and protocol, professional dress, hosting and hospitality, the placement of national flags, precedence among officials, and the requirements for organizing official events and meetings. The second session, held on July 26th, focused on international negotiations and featured lectures by Dr. Seyyed Mohammad-Kazem Sajjadpour, Dr. Mohammad Reza Dehshiri, Dr. Mansour Rahmani, and Dr. Sadat Meydani. The session addressed international organizations and multilateral
negotiations, intercultural negotiations, the psychologic aspects of negotiations and the international legal principles and rules governing intergovernmental negotiations.

The third day of the summer school focused on the “Principles and Techniques of Drafting International Resolutions” and featured Dr. Esmail Baghaei Hamaneh, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Gholamhossein Dehghani. The session examined the process of drafting and adopting resolutions, the structure of international documents, the role of sponsoring and co-sponsoring countries and the requirements of drafting and negotiation within the framework of multilateral diplomacy.

The fourth day, held on August 2nd, focused on “Policy Paper Writing” and featured Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Amir Reza Sherkat. Dr. Zarif addressed “Institutionalized Rationality in Foreign Policy Decision-Making Systems,” focusing on strategic decision-making, policy options, and policy papers. Mr. Sherkat explained the structure and stages of drafting a professional policy paper, after
which participants practiced policy-paper writing through group exercises.

The fifth and final day of the summer school, held on August 8th, focused on “Methods of Foreign Policy Analysis” and featured lectures by Dr. Mohammad Reza Dehshiri and Dr. Seyyed Mohammad-Kazem Sajjadpour. The session introduced and examined a range of analytical methods and frameworks, including Causal Layered Analysis (CLA), SWOT, SPACE, PESTEL, scenario analysis, stakeholders’ analysis, game theory, geopolitical analysis, risk analysis, and futures studies. The speakers emphasized the importance of employing multidimensional approaches to understanding and analyzing foreign policy.

The summer school concluded with an emphasis on enhancing participants’ professional, analytical, and writing skills, followed by a group photograph.