دیپلماسی درجه دو در حکمرانی منطقه‌ای «نقش زیست‌بوم مجازی در همگرایی ایران و پاکستان»

Developments in communication and the expansion of social media networks have meant that regional relations are no longer shaped solely within the framework of formal interactions between states. Rather, public perceptions, media narratives, and non-state actors also play a role in constructing meaning and directing regional cooperation. Despite their historical, cultural, and civilizational potential, relations between Iran and Pakistan continue to face perceptual divides, weak social and media interactions, and the presence of sectarian and security narratives that promote divergence. Under such circumstances, the virtual ecosystem can contribute both to the reproduction of misperceptions and divisive stereotypes and to the production and dissemination of convergent narratives. The central research question is how second-tier diplomacy, within the virtual ecosystem, can contribute to the development of regional governance and convergence between Iran and Pakistan through the production and reinforcement of convergent narratives. In pursuit of this question, this article examines the characteristics, actors, and influential platforms of Pakistan’s virtual ecosystem; the components of a desired state of narrative-based convergence; and the principles, strategies, instruments, and implementation stages of a roadmap. The aim of this study is to explain the role of second-tier diplomacy in regional governance and to examine the potential of the virtual ecosystem to strengthen convergence between Iran and Pakistan. Focusing on the links between second-tier diplomacy, convergent narratives, the virtual ecosystem, and regional governance, the study seeks to assess the state of Pakistan’s virtual and media environment in relation to Iran, identify the actors and platforms that shape mutual perceptions, and, on this basis, propose a roadmap for strengthening joint narrative-building and expanding people-to-people interactions. The study’s originality lies in integrating strategic narrative, constructivist, and network governance approaches, and in shifting the discussion of second-tier diplomacy from the level of limited elite interactions to that of a networked and narrative-based ecosystem. The present study adopts a qualitative approach and a descriptive-analytical method. Its analytical framework is developed through an integrated application of strategic narrative theory, constructivism, and network governance. Discourse analysis and narrative analysis are employed to examine the data. The research data are drawn from two categories of sources: first, library and documentary sources, including scholarly works, related studies, analytical reports, and specialized sources on Iran–Pakistan relations, second-tier diplomacy, strategic narratives, regional governance, and soft power; and second, media data and content published within Pakistan’s virtual ecosystem. In the empirical section, content published on the platforms X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, as well as material from Pakistani news media, including Dawn, Geo News, ARY News, and The Express Tribune, is examined. Samples were selected purposively on the basis of their relevance to Iran–Pakistan relations and their visibility and influence, taking into account indicators such as reposts, shares, and user engagement.
The findings indicate that Pakistan’s virtual ecosystem has evolved beyond a mere communication space into an arena for narrative competition, the shaping of public perceptions, and the reproduction of geopolitical identities. Within this ecosystem, the power to influence is not confined to official media; media personalities, political influencers, journalists, digital activists, academics, and cultural and religious actors also play a role in producing, reproducing, and disseminating narratives related to Iran. Analysis of the available content reveals three major patterns. The first is an Islamic-geopolitical convergence discourse that emphasizes the two countries’ religious, cultural, and historical commonalities and shared interests. The second is a sectarian-security divergence discourse that represents relations through the lenses of threat, distrust, and religious and security stereotypes. The third is a pragmatic economic discourse focused on trade, energy, borders, interdependence, and the two countries’ tangible interests.
Among these patterns, the potential of convergent discourses increases when narratives are produced by credible local actors and are connected to the social experiences of Pakistani audiences. Another key finding is the absence of a stable, locally rooted network for narrative-building on behalf of Iran in Pakistan’s virtual space, with the result that some narratives concerning Iran are conveyed through intermediary actors or third-party media. Accordingly, strengthening narrative-based convergence requires the establishment of a network of intermediary elites, media outlets, academics, cultural actors, and credible influencers, as well as sustained interaction among them. The desired state rests on three components: increased mutual trust and understanding, sustained interaction among elites and media, and reduced dominance of sectarian and security narratives by foregrounding shared interests and common ground. On the basis of these findings, the proposed roadmap rests on three principles: gradualism, a network-centered approach, and localization. In the short term, it proposes identifying and connecting key actors and intermediary elites; in the medium term, establishing sustainable networks and producing joint content; and in the long term, institutionalizing the process of producing and reproducing convergent narratives. Drawing on shared cultural and literary resources, particularly the literary and intellectual legacy of Muhammad Iqbal, can also help localize these narratives and increase their acceptance. The findings indicate that second-tier diplomacy within the virtual ecosystem can enhance the capacity for regional governance and convergence between Iran and Pakistan by complementing official diplomacy through reducing perceptual divides, strengthening mutual trust, and establishing lasting connections between the two societies. The significance of this mechanism lies in the fact that the virtual ecosystem is not merely a channel for transmitting messages, but a networked environment for the production of meaning, the competition of narratives, and the shaping of political and social perceptions. Accordingly, achieving sustainable convergence requires a shift from sporadic, state-centered communications to a gradual, network-based, and locally grounded model of second-tier diplomacy. In this model, intermediary elites, media outlets, academics, cultural actors, and credible influencers form communication links between the two societies and, through the production of joint content and the reinforcement of narratives grounded in shared interests and genuine commonalities, create the conditions for the emergence of transnational social capital. The consolidation of convergent narratives, increased interaction among elites, and growth in mutual trust can therefore be regarded as important indicators of the realization of this process. Ultimately, the proposed roadmap is not a substitute for official diplomacy, but rather a complementary mechanism for socializing Iran–Pakistan relations and enhancing the two countries’ capacity for regional governance and sustained cooperation.