Cities around the world are trying to increase their marketing activities to increase tourists and visitors and differentiate themselves from other cities. The main task of this research is to identify the factors that shape urban branding; by identifying these factors by interpretive structural modeling to determine the synergistic relationship between the factors.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose and analytical in terms of method. The statistical population consisted of university professors and experts in the field of research who were selected by purposive sampling method. Research implementation was selected. To evaluate the validity of the questionnaire, the face validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and confirmed. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, using a new analytical methodology of interpretive structural modeling (ISM), the relationships between the factors were determined and integrated. Finally, using MICMAC analysis, the factors were analyzed according to the impact and effectiveness on other factors. The results of the interpretive structural model of urban branding showed that the obtained model includes four levels and the factors of urban and architectural attractions, unique features and assets of the city and the quality of infrastructure and public facilities of the main city. The most influential factors on urban branding that should be emphasized in the first place, in other words, any action to create urban branding, requires the groundwork for the proper implementation of these factors and the promotion of these factors. The factors of attachment and sense of place in this system are passive and are influenced by other factors in relation to the concept of urban branding.