The enhanced Kowsar satellite was unveiled on Saturday with Deputy Minister and head of the Iranian Space Agency Hassan Salarieh in attendance.

Salarieh confirmed that the second model of the domestically built satellite will be launched into orbit in the coming months.

Last year, Kowsar-1 and Hodhod satellites were successfully placed in orbit using a Soyuz launcher. In less than a year, Iran has now completed final testing of the upgraded Kowsar, which weighs 50 kilograms and will be positioned in a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.

The new satellite will combine the missions of Kowsar-1 and Hodhod, with applications in remote sensing, Internet of Things, precision agriculture, and mapping. Salarieh emphasized that Kowsar is the first observation satellite built by Iran’s private sector, with the second version developed based on lessons learned from the first.

“The launch schedule is influenced by coordination with other payloads on the Soyuz rocket,” Salarieh explained. “Any delay in preparation of those payloads can postpone the entire launch, but our planning is to launch Kowsar-2 this year.”

He said the second version includes upgrades in imaging and telecommunications payloads, as well as in data management codes and algorithms, reflecting advances drawn from the first mission.

Salarieh highlighted that private-sector participation in space technology is inherently high-risk and that only a limited number of companies have the capacity to engage. Among them is Omid-Faza Company, which has taken on this challenge. He stressed that under Iran’s 10-year roadmap and the seventh development plan, multiple satellites will be developed and launched with private-sector involvement.

He added that the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is working to expand private-sector activity in the space industry. New tenders will soon be announced to hand over more projects to Iranian private firms, providing both a market and guaranteed purchases to encourage growth.

MNA/

Iran came from a set down to beat Italy 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-14) in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship semifinals on Sunday.

Matin Hosseini led Iran with 18 points, while Tommaso Barotto scored 14 points for Italy.

Iran had defeated Italy 3-2 in the previous edition.

It was Iran’s ninth win in the competition as the young Persians had defeated Kazakhstan, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Canada, Poland, Argentina, China and the U.S. in the competition.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. defeated Czech Republic 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18) in the bronze medal match.

The competition took place in Jiangmen, China from Aug. 21 to 31. / T.T/

Iranian youth boxers claimed two silver and two bronze medals at the 3rd Belt & Road Youth Boxing Festival.The competition was held in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China from August 15 to 30.

The tournament brought 32 teams from 20 countries together. Mehrshad Sherafatmand lost to Kazakhstan boxer in the final bout of 75kg and seized a silver medal.

In 80kg weight class, Amir Ali Fatahian lost to his Indian rival and won a silver medal.

Zubair Issa Zehi and Matin Chamipa won two bronzes in 50kg and 54kg, respectively.

MNA/

The Defense Ministry spokesperson said that the country’s Armed Forces have significantly improved their readiness and capabilities since the recent 12-day war.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik has emphasized that the defensive, operational, and logistical readiness of Iran’s armed forces has improved significantly compared to the period before the recent 12-day war.

Speaking at a ceremony on Saturday in Sanandaj, the provincial capital of Kordestan, Brigadier General Talaei-Nik said, “During the 12-day war, our country’s military sectors suffered certain damages. However, today, the operational, combat, and defensive readiness of Iran’s Armed Forces has increased significantly as a direct result of the lessons learned from that war.”

He added, “Sixty percent of the weaponry, equipment, and munitions used by the armed forces are now produced by the private sector and knowledge-based companies.”

He further cited, “Today, Iran ranks among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of missile capability, which demonstrates our country’s independence from foreign sources for its weaponry.”

Talaei-Nik underscored that the objective of the Zionist enemy in attacking Iran was to weaken the country, force its surrender, and ultimately overthrow the Islamic Republic. “However, this goal was not achieved, and they once again miscalculated.”

On June 13, Israel launched a blatant and unprovoked aggression against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that killed at least 1,064 people in the country, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.

The United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of international law.

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces targeted strategic sites across the occupied territories as well as the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.

On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the terrorist aggression.

MNA/

Iranians mark Pharmaceutical Day to commemorate Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, whose groundbreaking work in evidence-based medicine, psychology, and chemistry left an indelible mark on medical science worldwide.

Centuries before the Renaissance, a compassionate physician in Persia championed evidence-based practice, discovered fundamental chemical compounds, and penned over 200 manuscripts that would shape Western medicine.

On Pharmaceutical Day, Iran and the scientific world remember the enduring legacy of Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi.

In Iran, August 27 is observed as Pharmaceutical Day in commemoration of Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, the 9th-century Persian polymath, known in the West as Rhazes.

A Persian Muslim polymath, physician, alchemist, and philosopher born near Tehran, Razi made enduring contributions to medicine, philosophy, and chemistry, authoring over 200 manuscripts.

He championed evidence-based medicine and is considered the father of psychology, psychotherapy, pediatrics, obstetrics, and ophthalmology.

Razi served as chief physician of Baghdad and Ray hospitals, renowned for his compassion and dedication to patients, and attracted students from diverse backgrounds.

He integrated Greek medical knowledge with his own observations, viewing himself as a modern Hippocrates.

Razi pioneered the differentiation of contagious diseases using humoral theory and wrote groundbreaking works on smallpox and measles. He also discovered compounds like alcohol and sulfuric acid.

His encyclopedia, “The Virtuous Life (al-Hawi),” and other works like “Kitab al-Mansuri” and “Al-Judari wal Hasabah” profoundly impacted Western medical education.

Razi’s detailed descriptions of chemical reactions and instruments are found in “Kitab-al-Asrar.” Although his philosophical writings were initially overlooked, his medical and scientific advancements significantly influenced the development of these fields.

About 40 of his manuscripts are preserved in libraries worldwide. Razi’s holistic approach to medicine, emphasizing both physical and psychological well-being, cemented his status as a visionary figure.

His emphasis on meticulous observation, experimentation, and clinical documentation laid the groundwork for future generations of physicians and scientists.

Beyond his direct medical contributions, Razi’s writings fostered intellectual exchange between Eastern and Western scholars, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge across cultures.

His legacy continues to inspire medical professionals and researchers to embrace innovation and prioritize patient care above all else.

The annual observance of Pharmaceutical Day in Iran serves as a reminder of Razi’s profound and lasting impact on the world of medicine and science.

Today, the legacy of Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi extends far beyond historical recognition.

It lives on in the very ethos of modern healthcare: in the relentless pursuit of evidence, the holistic care of the patient, and the courageous spirit of scientific inquiry.

As new generations of doctors, chemists, and researchers stand on the shoulders of this Persian giant, his story serves as a powerful testament to the universal and collaborative nature of knowledge.

The annual observance of Pharmaceutical Day is more than a tribute to a great mind of the past; it is a timeless reminder that innovation, compassion, and rigorous observation are the enduring pillars upon which human progress is built. /MNA/

Iran has made significant progress in nanotechnology over a year (August 2024 -August 2025), with more than a 100 percent increase in nanotech products exports, indexing 10,860 articles in the Web of Science (WoS), and being ranked sixth in publishing nanotech articles.

Iran’s activities in nanotechnology began in 2001. Two years later, the headquarters for nanotechnology was established to promote knowledge in the field. The first national strategic plan, titled ‘future strategic document’, was developed in 2005, aimed to place Iran among the top 15 countries in the field, focusing on ongoing improvement of the country’s position to generate wealth and improve people’s quality of life.

Later, the name of the organization changed to ‘nano and micro technology headquarters’ to follow up on its missions and tasks in both fields.

Over the past year, from August 22, 2024, to August 23, 2025, significant measures were taken to improve existing industries, expand and manage sustainable exports and nano-product markets at national, regional, and global levels, promote Iranian made products in regional markets, foster innovation from novel technologies with significant economic and social impacts, maintain the country’s scientific status and improve its authority in nanoscience.

Iran’s nanotechnology products in various industries are classified into 13 main categories including Civil engineering and construction; Optics, electronics, and photonics; Petroleum and petrochemicals; Pharmaceuticals, health, and well-being; home appliances; Power and energy; Raw materials; Chemicals; Textiles and clothing; Equipment; Automotive industry and transportation; Industrial machinery; Agriculture, animal husbandry, and Water, according to data published by the vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

Some 89.6 percent of Iranian nanotechnology products are exported to Asian countries, according to data released by the national headquarters for the development of nanotechnology.

Europe, Africa, America, and Australia are the next destinations with 6.8 percent, 2.5 percent, and 1 percent of imports, respectively.

The data, which are related to the Iranian calendar year 1402 (March 2023-March 2024), also show that neighboring countries are the main export destinations of Iran’s nanotechnology products.

Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan are the top three importers, holding 23.1 percent, 6.9 percent, and 6.5 percent shares of the imports.

Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, China, and India rank next.

The Journal Citation Report (JCR) Impact Factor 2024 has cited 161 Iranian journals, naming five among the world’s most cited in the nanotechnology sector.

Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry (JNSC) affiliated to Islamic Azad University with an impact factor of 7.9 is placed among the top 25 percent of journals in JCR published by Clarivate Analytics in three categories including Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, ranking 34 among 147 top journals; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary, ranking 41 among 239 journals; and Material Science, Multidisciplinary, ranking 88 among 460 top journals.

So far, ten out of the 12 specialized nanotechnology journals in the country have been indexed in the international Scopus database, of which five have received an impact factor.

Having published a total of 4,615 articles in the top 25 percent of journals (Q1 journals) in 2024, Iran is placed among the top ten countries in publishing nanotechnology articles, ranking 12th in h-index for nano-articles in the world.

Although from 2011 on, the country has undergone a downward trend in patenting nanotechnology, it is placed among the top 30 countries in patenting nanotechnology, ranking 27th in 2024.

It is worth noting that the percentage of granted patents increased from 19 percent in 2023 to 25 percent in 2024. Similarly, the number of published and granted patents slightly rose from 17 percent in 2023 to 19 percent in 2024.

By the end of 2024, Iran had published 364 nanotechnology-related patents in the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 25 percent of Iran’s USPTO-registered patents fall within the nanotechnology sector.

T.T/

Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) is aiming to boost exports of technical and engineering services to $4.5 billion by the end of the current Iranian year (late March 2026), an official said on Monday.

Sohrab Salimi, acting head of TPO’s Office for Knowledge-Based Products and Engineering Services, said most of these exports occur in the second half of the year, making the target achievable.

He noted that Iranian contractors have built a presence in international markets over the past 32 years, competing alongside major firms from the United States, Canada, Germany, China and Turkey.

Despite fluctuations in export levels, Salimi said government incentives over the years have helped expand Iran’s role in this field.

Salimi said several projects have recently been launched in neighboring countries, pursued both independently by Iranian contractors and in joint ventures.

Most export destinations are nearby, he added, because heavy machinery and equipment often require temporary export permits.

Priority markets include CIS countries, Iraq, the Gulf states, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He said TPO is preparing a comprehensive plan for engineering services exports to present to the High Council of Exports.

While direct subsidies such as those offered between 2011 and 2021 are no longer available, Salimi said indirect support measures remain, including exemptions from foreign currency repatriation requirements and tax relief in 2023 and 2024, subject to approval by the council’s Article 19 committee.

T.T/

Iran’s defense minister has announced that the country now possesses advanced missiles with greater capabilities than previous generations, warning that they will be deployed if Israel undertakes any new aggression.

According to Mehr News Agency, a group of foreign military attachés residing in Tehran met on Tuesday with Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, on the occasion of “August 22 – National Defense Industry Day.”

In this meeting, Brigadier General Nasirzadeh commemorated the memory of the martyrs of the 12-day Israeli imposed war on Iran, especially commanders, scientists, women, men, and children, and said, that August 22, in the official calendar of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been designated as National Defense Industry Day; an indigenous industry that today, relying on self-sufficiency, perseverance, and Islamic-Iranian teachings, and under the wise guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has become one of the main pillars of national security and power.

The Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics explained the roots, aspects, and hidden and apparent objectives of the imposed 12-day war, saying that at the outset, from the very beginning of the war, the Zionist regime enjoyed wide political, intelligence, operational, and military support from the United States, and ultimately, the US directly participated in this offensive operation. “We are fully aware that, in addition to the US, some Western and regional countries were actively involved in the Zionist regime’s interception and defense operations, while we, due to the unlawful US sanctions, were relying solely on our domestic capabilities.”

“In fact, at the very time when we were negotiating with the American side and it had been agreed that the sixth round of these talks would continue in Muscat, the Zionist regime, with US support, launched its aerial and missile strikes at dawn on June 13, in a combination of military and terrorist operations. A number of our senior military commanders and scientists, who were at rest with their families, were targeted and martyred. The first wave of the regime’s attack was carried out remotely by exploiting Syria’s and Iraq’s control gaps,” he said, adding that the Zionist regime’s agents inside Iran were also used in this terrorist operation.

He added that the Zionist regime, imagining that this sudden operation and the assassination of senior military commanders would lead to the collapse of the military structure and command hierarchy, did not expect a quick response from the Islamic Republic of Iran to this cowardly and treacherous attack. “Considering the particular conditions of both sides and the geographical distance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to its efforts to defend against the massive waves of enemy aircraft and missiles, and despite the martyrdom of a number of senior commanders, designed and executed its retaliatory strikes in two sections: missile and drone, and in a combined form,” Nasirzadeh underlined.

The defense minister went on to say that Iran’s retaliatory operation was gradually carried out more extensively and precisely.” While at the beginning of the war about 60% of our fired missiles passed through the defense layers of the Zionist regime and its supporters, this figure rose progressively in the final hours of the war, reaching up to 90% of the missiles hitting their intended targets, seriously damaging their defense systems.”

He stressed that in this battle, for the first time, the Islamic Republic of Iran used some of its missiles such as Fattah, Sejjil, and Kheibar Shekan, which gradually changed the battlefield equation in favor of Iran. “Nearly 150 targets were designated for our missiles, all of which were struck. Unlike the cowardly Zionist regime, which targeted military commanders, scientists, innocent women and children, civilian infrastructure and industrial centers, residential homes, medical centers, relief forces, prisons, and the national media, the Islamic Republic of Iran deliberately chose its missile targets in the occupied territories from among military centers—especially air bases, intelligence centers, research centers including the Weizmann Institute, the command and control center in Be’er Sheva, the Mossad headquarters, and the Ministry of Defense—which played a key role in the regime’s offensive attacks against our country.”

Brigadier General Nasirzadeh stated that the casualty figures announced by the Zionist regime’s military personnel—even if assumed accurate—together with the 12 to 20 billion dollars of losses estimated by the Westerners and the Zionist regime, demonstrate the accuracy of Iranian missiles in hitting designated military targets. The regime’s intense news censorship and its fear of revealing the scale and locations of damages is further evidence of the success of the operations of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In fact, the regime’s officials themselves are well aware of the depth of the inflicted damages.

Iran’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics stressed that this achievement of the armed forces was realized while the opponent of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this conflict was not merely the Zionist regime but its supporters, such as the US and some European countries. “On the other hand stood the Islamic Republic of Iran, which, after more than 40 years of sanctions, relied solely on the capabilities of its fully indigenous defense industries.”

“In the middle of the war, the United States—which undoubtedly had coordinated the Zionist regime’s illegitimate attack on Iran and provided extensive intelligence and logistical support during the war—violated all principles of the UN Charter and the NPT treaty by attacking the peaceful nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, all of which were under the supervision of the IAEA. This attack, in fact, constituted an assault on the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of an independent country by a permanent member of the Security Council. Unfortunately, international organizations and institutions such as the Security Council, under US influence and the support of some European powers, including European members of the Security Council, not only failed to react to this aggression but even encouraged the regime to continue its attacks.”

Nasirzadeh emphasized that the bitter, absurd, and undeniable reality of this war was the deafening silence of international and so-called human rights organizations.

“When the Islamic Republic of Iran realized that the US had openly and directly stepped into the battlefield to support the Zionist regime and attacked peaceful nuclear facilities, with the utmost restraint and to prevent the expansion of war into the region—and despite having many potential American targets in the region—it limited itself to striking only one of the US’s largest bases in the region, “Al-Udeid,” with a limited number of missiles (14 missiles). Although the US President—whose main futile goal seems to be receiving a peace prize—initially denied the impact of this strike to satisfy his political supporters in Congress, it later became clear that the precision-guided missiles destroyed some of the radar facilities stationed at Al-Udeid Base completely.”

“After the missile strike on Al-Udeid Base, some regional governments conveyed the US government’s message regarding a ceasefire to Iran, which, in fact, reflected the Zionist regime’s desperation in continuing the war. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while insisting on preserving its principles and positions and that the initiator of the war must be punished by the international community, accepted the ceasefire on the condition that the last response would belong to Iran.”

“In fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran agreed to the ceasefire with the aim of preventing the expansion of crisis and war in the region. However, we have no trust in the Zionist regime and its supporter, the US, and their adherence to commitments. Should the other side continue its adventurism and hostilities, this time Iran’s response, given our knowledge of the enemy’s weaknesses, will be deadly, surprising, painful, and beyond calculation.”

He concluded by saying that the defense industry and defense technologies in Iran, within the framework of a decisive and effective deterrence strategy and for the purpose of ensuring national security against the greed and threats of enemies, are at the same time messengers of peace and stability in the region. “Our message to the regional countries is peace, security, prosperity, and joint economic development through understanding, dialogue, respect, and mutual confidence-building. On this basis, the International Affairs Department of the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the body in charge of defense diplomacy, is fully prepared to interact and cooperate with the countries you represent.”

MNA/

The Iranian Army Navy’s missile systems successfully destroyed their surface targets at sea using the “Nasir” and “Ghadir” naval cruise missiles and “Qader” medium-range anti-ship cruise missile.

In continuation of organizing the main stages of the Iranian Army Navy Eqtedar 1404 (2025) “Sustainable Authority 1404” missile exercise, various types of naval cruise missiles with different ranges, were fired from the coast and decks of Iranian Navy surface vessels, and successfully hit their targets in the northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of ​​Oman.

At this stage of the exercise, the guided missile cruiser “Genaveh” and “Sabalan” destroyer successfully destroyed a designated surface target at sea by simultaneously firing “Nasir”, “Ghadir” and “Qader” naval cruise and anti-ship missiles.

The “Qader” naval cruise missile is a medium-range, stealthy anti-ship cruise missile with high destructive power and impressive targeting accuracy, designed to combat vessels and coastal targets.

The “Ghadir” naval cruise missile is also a long-range, radar-evading anti-ship cruise missile with high destructive power and impressive targeting accuracy, which is used to combat vessels.

The “Nasir” naval cruise missile is a short-range, radar-evading anti-ship cruise missile with high destructive power and impressive targeting precision, used to combat vessels.

The Iranian Army Navy kicked off the operational phase of its Authroity 1404 missile exercise on Thursday, spanning two days in the northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.

The drill will be conducted for two days with the participation of surface and subsurface vessels, aerial units, coastal-to-sea missile sites, sea-based missile sites, and electronic warfare units in the northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.

MNA/