This study aimed to design a comprehensive model for Iran’s national branding based on the educational and cultural capacities and functions of Pahlavani wrestling. Employing an applied qualitative design, the research adopted Strauss and Corbin’s systematic Grounded Theory approach. Participants comprised experts in Pahlavani wrestling, sports management, national identity, and sports marketing, selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected through 18 semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was reached, followed by open, axial, and selective coding using MAXQDA software.

The core phenomenon emerged as “Iran’s national branding driven by the educational and cultural functions of Pahlavani wrestling.” The causal conditions include cultural-identity heritage, national symbolic potential, moral-pedagogical capacities, and institutional-media backing. Contextual conditions encompass civilizational-historical heritage, social-ethical values, structural-institutional frameworks, and spatial-aesthetic appeal. Conversely, cognitive gaps, deficient brand marketing, media marginalization, and institutional-social constraints act as intervening conditions. To navigate these dynamics, four strategic trajectories were identified: narrative modernization while preserving authenticity, domestic educational and infrastructural expansion, international cultural diplomacy, and multi-stakeholder governance—notably facilitating the culturally sensitive, gradual inclusion of women. Successfully executing these strategies yields elevated international cultural influence, intergenerational cultural transmission, and sustained cross-border sports diplomacy.



Pahlavani wrestling represents a strategic soft-power asset rather than merely a traditional athletic discipline. Establishing unified governance, modern storytelling, and synchronized inter-institutional execution will effectively transform this living heritage into a sustainable driver of Iran’s global prestige and national brand equity.