One of the significant functions of sport is its capacity to advance a nation's global policies. By securing prominent positions and leadership roles within international sporting institutions, a country can more effectively project its influence.
This study aimed to design and elucidate a conceptual model for the role of wrestling in enhancing Iran's public diplomacy. Employing a qualitative approach, data were gathered through library research and a review of scientific articles from MagIran, SID, and Scopus databases. The search utilized the combined keywords "public diplomacy," "sports diplomacy," and "international status of wrestling" for articles published between 1998 and 2024. The research addressed the following questions: What role does wrestling play in shaping domestic public opinion? How can it serve as an effective tool for enhancing Iran's public diplomacy, and what impact does it have on international image-building and the strengthening of cultural relations?
Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that wrestling contributes topublic diplomacy through four key mechanisms: the sporting-competitive dimension, the cultural-symbolic dimension, the communicative-media dimension, and the institutional-governance dimension. The resulting model demonstrates that wrestling, beyond being a medal-winning sport, functions as an operational system for Iran's public diplomacy. This system can be monitored and evaluated through measurable indicators such as the number of international events hosted, the number of active wrestlers in foreign leagues, and content analysis of international media coverage following major wrestling events.