In the contemporary era, cultural diplomacy, as an effective tool of soft power, is pursued through mass media and performative productions. Among these, television series, by integrating visual and narrative elements, possess a high capacity for conveying cultural messages and representing national identity. The present study aims to conduct a semiotic analysis of the representation of cultural diplomacy components in the television series Gildokht, one of the productions of the IRIB’s International Affairs Department. In this research, 58 selected scenes from the series were analyzed using John Fiske’s qualitative semiotic method across three levels: social, technical and ideological codes. The findings indicate that the series, through character-centered narratives and multilayered imagery, succeeds in presenting a humanized, tangible, and rich depiction of Iranian culture, conveying cultural concepts from a symbolic level to the audience’s lived experience. Moreover, the deliberate use of technical and aesthetic codes contributes to the effective transmission of elements such as customs and traditions, the Persian language, indigenous music, handicrafts, and ethical values. Despite certain limitations in representing local dialects and utilizing historical locations, Gildokht stands as a successful example of integrating cultural diplomacy within performative productions and can serve as a model for future works in this domain.