As bilateral relations between Syria and Iran developed following the Islamic revolution in Iran, the two governments expanded their relationship on the cultural level. While Iran had set up a cultural centre in Damascus as early as 1983, which was to promote the Islamic revolution and the ideas of Imam Khomeini, Syria opened a Syrian-Arab cultural centre in Tehran only in 2005. This centre is a remarkable phenomenon, considering both the general lack of Syrian cultural diplomacy and the difficulty to open foreign cultural centres in Iran. The centre’s objectives are less clear-cut than the ones of the Iranian centre in Damascus. It has been established mainly for political reasons, to underline the alliance between the Syrian and Iranian states and reciprocate Iranian cultural activities in Syria by providing an outlet for cultural cooperation in Tehran. While most countries struggle to organise cultural activities in Tehran, the Syrian centre is supported by the Iranian authorities. The motivations and reach of the Syrian cultural centre’s activities will be discussed to discern to what extent Syria has a presence in Iran and who it reaches out to. The study draws on interviews with Syrian and Iranian officials as well as foreign cultural attachés in Iran, on newspaper articles and official documentation.