Iran’s food diplomacy from Cairo to Damascus

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s Sunday dinner at a busy Damascus restaurant might seem unremarkable at first glance. However, this seemingly casual meal with colleagues offers a glimpse into a practice the Minister seems to value: culinary diplomacy.

In the field of international relations, where treaties and negotiations often dominate discussions, culinary diplomacy leverages food as a strategic tool. It’s used to convey diplomatic, public, or political messages and, ultimately, foster stronger bilateral ties.

Araghchi dined at a packed restaurant on the outskirts of Damascus following meetings with high-ranking Syrian officials amidst a renewed terrorist offensive in northern Syria and swirling rumors of a coup d’état. While the foreign minister’s later X post only mentioned the delicious shawarma he enjoyed, his very presence in the hustle and bustle of the city conveyed a powerful message of calm, reassurance, and support to both the Resistance and the Syrian people.

This strategy was also used by U.S. President Joe Biden in March of 2022, roughly a month after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The president was photographed dining at a restaurant in Warsaw, a move that was seen as a demonstration of NATO’s support for Poland, and Washington’s confidence in the east European country’s security environment. 

Araghchi’s first notable use of culinary diplomacy happened in October when he had traveled to Egypt. The top diplomat shared on his X account that he had enjoyed Egyptian food during his short stay in Cairo, adding that Iranians “lack an Egyptian restaurant in Tehran”.

The remarks were seen as a sign that indicated Iran’s willingness to restore diplomatic ties with Egypt, which have been severed for over four decades.

Going back a few years, former U.S. President Barack Obama used the same tactic when the U.S. and Vietnam had begun to move towards a thaw in 2016. During his visit to the Asian country, Obama shared a meal at a small restaurant in Hanoi, enjoying Pho and local specialties. The informal act appeared to resonate profoundly with the Vietnamese populace and was celebrated as a moment of cultural connection.

Another example is Angela Merkel’s visit to New York in 2015, where the German Chancellor dined at a well-known Manhattan restaurant during her attendance at the United Nations General Assembly. Her decision to engage with New York’s dynamic dining culture underscored Germany’s dedication to openness and international diplomacy, while also highlighting her capacity to connect on a personal level.

In Iran, another official who recognized the strategic potential of food in international relations was the late President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. In 1997, he hosted King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who was visiting Tehran for the Islamic Conference Summit, at his private residence, where Hashemi Rafsanjani served His wife’s Qorme Sabzi, a traditional Iranian dish, as a gesture of his nation’s hospitality.

From Foreign Minister Araghchi’s shawarma in Syria to Obama’s pho in Vietnam, and President Rafsanjani’s Qorme Sabzi, these instances of culinary diplomacy demonstrate that food transcends mere sustenance; it serves as a powerful symbol of unity and mutual understanding in international relations.