International Journal of Information Science and Management (IJISM)

Abstract The expansion of national journal indexing in major international citation databases, particularly Scopus, has been widely adopted as a strategic policy instrument to enhance global scientific visibility and strengthen national research competitiveness. However, indexing status alone does not inherently translate into increased scientific impact, as its outcomes are mediated by structural and contextual factors such as publication quality, language of dissemination, collaboration patterns, funding mechanisms, and the maturity of the research ecosystem. In this context, the rapid growth of Iranian journals indexed in Scopus raises a critical question: has this quantitative expansion led to substantive improvements in their international scientific impact? This study analyzed 427 Iranian journals indexed in Scopus during 2021-2025. Journal identification was conducted using ISSN and e-ISSN, and extracted data included CiteScore-based quartile rankings, authorship configurations, and article-level citation performance measured through Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI). Although data for 2025 remain partially cumulative, proportional indicators and trend analyses provide robust comparative insights. The findings reveal a structural gap between publication growth and citation performance. While the increasing number of indexed journals has expanded Iran's overall publication output and attracted a growing share of foreign authors, the aggregate FWCI of articles published in these journals remains below the global average (FWCI < 1.0). Domestically authored publications, in particular, contribute to the downward pressure on overall citation impact. Although Q1 and Q2 journals demonstrate stronger growth trajectories and foreign-authored papers exhibit relatively higher citation performance, quantitative expansion has not been accompanied by commensurate qualitative advancement. These results indicate that database inclusion alone does not validate journal quality; sustained improvements in research originality, methodological rigor, editorial standards, and strategically embedded international collaboration are essential for achieving durable international scientific impact.