▁Emb ass y ▁Dublin , ▁notes ▁that ▁" public ▁diplom acy ▁[ is ] ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁planning ▁and ▁execution ▁of ▁inform ational , ▁cultural ▁and ▁educational ▁programming ▁by ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁country ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁public ▁opinion ▁environment ▁in ▁a ▁target ▁country ▁or ▁countries ▁that ▁will ▁enable ▁target ▁country ▁political ▁leaders ▁to ▁make ▁dec isions ▁that ▁are ▁support ive ▁of ▁advoc ate ▁country ' s ▁foreign ▁policy ▁object ives ." ▁ ▁The ▁distingu ishing ▁factor ▁between ▁diplom acy ▁and ▁public ▁diplom acy ▁is ▁the ▁target ▁audience . ▁Where ▁traditional ▁diplom acy ▁focus es ▁on ▁govern ments ▁communic ating ▁with ▁one ▁another , ▁public ▁diplom acy ▁see ks ▁to ▁eng age ▁foreign ▁citizens ▁and ▁public s ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁change ▁opinions ▁and ▁per ception s . ▁Public ▁diplom acy ▁may ▁present ▁a ▁point ▁of ▁view ▁that ▁diff ers ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁target ed ▁population ' s ▁home ▁government . ▁In ▁such ▁cases , ▁critics ▁argue ▁that ▁public ▁diplom acy ▁is ▁a ▁new ▁word ▁for ▁influence ▁operations ▁and / or ▁propag anda . ▁ ▁Cultural ▁diplom acy ▁ ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁defines ▁cultural ▁diplom acy ▁as ▁the ▁" lin ch pin ▁of ▁public ▁diplom acy ; ▁for ▁it ▁is ▁in ▁cultural ▁activities ▁that ▁a ▁nation ' s ▁idea ▁of ▁itself ▁is ▁best ▁represented ." ▁Further , ▁cultural ▁diplom acy ▁see ks ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁national ▁values ▁which ▁might ▁be ▁shared ▁with ▁foreign ▁aud ien ces . ▁ ▁The ▁Islam ic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Iran ▁re lies ▁on ▁its ▁cultural ▁her