Provided is a method for regenerating an aromatic amide compound into a corresponding aromatic nitrile compound, the method realizing a dehydration reaction of providing a target compound selectively at a high yield with generation of a by-product being suppressed. Also provided is a method for producing an aromatic nitrile compound that decreases the number of steps of dehydration reaction and significantly improves the reaction speed at a pressure close to normal pressure. Furthermore, the above-described production method is applied to a carbonate ester production method to provide a method for producing carbonate ester efficiently. The above-described objects are achieved by a method for producing an aromatic nitrile compound including a dehydration reaction of dehydrating an aromatic amide compound, in which the dehydration reaction uses diphenylether.