The scientific study of governance and ways to improve it is one of the main concerns of modern political systems in the 21st century. The ever-increasing depletion of resources, the continuous rise in consumption, crises that emerge in short intervals, and the constantly rising level of public expectations have made it impossible to neglect governance reform. In this context, although governance has various dimensions, foreign policy is undoubtedly one of its most important aspects. In examining, improving, and reforming governance in foreign policy, the orientations, material resources, human capital, and the subjects of activity and action within the institutions responsible for foreign policy are each of significant importance. Examining some of these issues requires interdisciplinary scientific inquiry, while others have a history of several decades in academic circles.
In this regard, and in the midst of two major wars in a region that is one of the most turbulent in the world, the Islamic Republic of Iran faces a double imperative. Iran's historical and civilizational background, its geographical location, the prevailing ideology following the glorious Islamic Revolution, the opposition and hostility of global powers, and several other reasons have made foreign policy play an unparalleled role in national governance. One of the major challenges in this path is the unscientific approaches to foreign policy governance and the resulting expectation that many of the shortcomings of domestic policy can be resolved by changing the direction of foreign policy, whereas a realistic and wise view of foreign policy deems such notions fanciful and rejects them. Continuing along this same scientific path, benefiting from successful global experiences in utilizing new topics such as science diplomacy, the non-Western order, the shifting global balance of power, new international organizations, and the issue of resistance in the West Asia region are all very important points that have been considered in this collection of articles.