How does Iran project regional soft power?

• A. By building military bases in neighboring states and using coercion.
• B. Through religious ideology, media, diplomacy with allied groups, and influence over neighboring political movements.
• C. By isolating itself economically and reducing regional presence.
• D. By relying only on oil exports to fund diplomacy.

Answer: (B)

Soft power is the ability to shape what others want through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion. Iran projects regional soft power by mobilizing religious ideology and transnational Shia networks to appeal to sympathizers, using media and cultural diplomacy to spread its narrative, and engaging in diplomacy with allied groups to extend influence across borders. Through relationships with Hezbollah in Lebanon, various Iraqi political factions, Palestinian groups with Iranian ties, and other allied movements, Iran can influence political outcomes and public opinion in neighboring states without deploying force. This contrasts with approaches that rely on coercion, economic isolation, or oil revenue alone, which rely more on hard power or economic leverage rather than attraction and persuading others.