The number of foreign university students in Iran is forecast to rise from currently around 100,000 to 250,000 by the Iranian calendar year 1404 (March 2025-March 2026).

Currently, international students from 119 countries are studying in Iran, IRNA reported.

Shortening the processes of providing services to international students, such as issuing visas and residence permits, offering employment, banking, and transportation services, and benefiting from cultural advisors who are currently based in 81 countries, as well as ambassadors in different countries, are among the capacities which can be used to attract more international students.

The Ministry of Science is planning to upgrade an online system titled “Study in Iran” in order to familiarize foreign students with universities as well as the conditions and costs of living in the country.

For the time being, the system is operating in four languages Persian, English, Arabic, and Chinese, deputy science minister Hashem Dadashpour said in June.

“We plan to add three more languages, namely Russian, French, and Spanish in the next few months,” he added, IRNA reported.

The system actually plays the role of an intermediary between universities and applicants for studies in Iran, Dadashpour said, noting: “We briefly introduce the universities with the license to admit international students, and at the same time, the applicants can be connected to the desired university through special links.”

This possibility is also provided for the applicants to study in Iran to register and send the admission application while being familiarized with the cultural and academic situation in Iran, and at the same time to learn about the experiences of international students in the country, he highlighted.

Also, an exhibition will be held from November 14-19 with the aim of introducing the advantages of studying in Iran for international students, he said.

“The first section of the exhibition is related to Persian language teaching centers, and the second section is related to private institutions for attracting international students and institutions of target countries.”

“The third section is dedicated to activists who are interested in attracting international students to Iran. The fourth section is related to scientific and technological achievements of science and technology parks and knowledge-based companies, and finally, the fifth section is related to the cultures and customs of foreign countries.”

The Seventh National Development Plan (2023-2027) has obliged the Ministry of Science to increase the number of foreign nationals studying in the country.

The plan emphasizes the need to boost science diplomacy by increasing foreign students by up to 10 percent, IRNA reported.

It also highlights admitting non-Iranian scientists in research and technology education fields in universities and government institutes, as well as developing student exchange programs. /T.T/

Out of 8,891 knowledge-based companies that are operating in the country, 1,313 are working in the health sector, Younes Panahi, the deputy health minister, has said.

Some 40 percent of the companies active in the health sector are working in the fields of pharmaceuticals, advanced diagnostic kits, and treatment products, IRNA quoted Panahi as saying on Sunday.

“There are 1,313 knowledge-based companies in the field of health, of which 28 percent are in the field of medical equipment and 32 percent are active in the agriculture, technology, and food industries.”

On August 6, Panahi said, “More than 21,900 faculty members are active in the field of health. Moreover, 804 government research centers, 39 non-government centers, and more than 600 elites are cooperating with the health ministry.”

Knowledge-based production a priority

In line with the law enforced on May 24, 2022, knowledge-based production is a priority of the government so the plan for promoting knowledge-based products has progressed well so far.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has emphasized the importance of boosting domestic production, saying the reason he placed so much emphasis on production was “because it boosts economic growth, it creates employment, it reduces inflation, it increases per capita income and it improves public welfare.”

To this end, the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology has executed and supported several projects toward the goal of boosting knowledge-based production.

Exporting technological products of Iranian knowledge-based companies is one of the important and key programs of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, and in this regard over the past years, with the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, the Iranian houses of innovation have been set up in several countries to develop the global market for knowledge-based products.

These centers have already been set up in countries such as Russia, Turkey, China, Syria, Kenya, Armenia, Iraq, and Uzbekistan.

The centers are mainly formed with the investment and support of the private sector to provide the necessary infrastructure for their exports through innovation houses.

By supporting innovative ideas, and holding technological and innovative events, the centers will be a platform for the development and promotion of Iranian knowledge-based companies, startups, and creative industries.

In February, President Ebrahim Raisi said science and technology are the cornerstones of national development.

The chain of knowledge, research, innovation, and technology ensures sustainable development in the country, he added. /T.T/

The number of medical tourists visiting Iran is around one million people per annum, an official with Health Ministry has said. “Every year, one million foreign patients are treated in Iran,” Mohammad-Hossein Niknam, who presides over the ministry’s department for international cooperation, said on Monday.

“We consider this sector as health diplomacy, which is a suitable platform to develop the country’s international interactions.”

Niknam said his department follows three main policies to increase the country’s share in the world’s $100 billion market.

“Our policies on the medical sector concerns internationalization of our capacities, playing an effective role to draw patients, particularly from the neighboring countries, and the development of scientific and economic cooperation to increase the country’s share in the international health market.”

According to Saeid Karimi, the deputy minister of health, Iran’s medical tourism revenues reached $1 billion during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20), adding: “247 hospitals and medical centers have been granted special licenses for medical tourism.”

“People from the neighboring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia, and Tajikistan, constitute the lion’s share of medical tourists arriving in Iran.”

The Islamic Republic has been ranked 46th destination for medical tourism [within the 2020-2021 Medical Tourism Index], he added.

Experts say Iran’s Medical tourism is a win-win opportunity both for the country and foreign patients, as they are offered affordable yet quality treatment services and the country gains considerable foreign currency.

The Islamic Republic is known in the world as an affordable destination for health tourism, and the government is making a great effort to attract more medical tourists in the years to come.

Credible surgeons and physicians, cutting-edge medical technologies, high-tech medicine and diverse specializations, super affordable procedures, and finally its hospitable people, are considered Iran’s trump card when it comes to medical tourism. /T.T/

The 10th edition of the Iran-Japan Love and Peace Film Festival was held in the presence of a number of Iranian war veterans and artists of the Tehran Peace Museum in Hiroshima.

During the festival, the Iranian films ‘Yadu’ by Mehdi Jafari, ‘Walnut Tree’ by Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian, ‘The Situation of Mehdi’ by Hadi Hejazifar, and ‘The Miracle of Bonasan’ by Habib Ahmadzadeh were screened in Tokyo and Hiroshima.

‘Yadu’ is about the first months of the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran. At a time when families in different cities of Khuzestan were forced to leave their homes and all their attachments and took refuge in other cities to save their lives.

‘Walnut Tree’ is a 2020 Iranian biographical war drama film. It revolves around the Chemical bombing of Sardasht in 1987. The film screened for the first time at the 38th Fajr Film Festival and received 11 nominations. Mahdavian won a Crystal Simorgh for Best Director and Maadi won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his performance.

‘The Miracle of Bonasan’ is the story of a genie that has to compose a melody with help from four humans. The idea is to create a human miracle and symphony, or he would be expelled from the Solar System for eternity.

‘The Situation of Mehdi’ is a 2022 Iranian biographical war drama film about Mehdi Bakeri, an Iranian war hero in the Iran-Iraq war. The film screened for the first time at the 40th Fajr Film Festival where it won five awards and earned nine nominations.

Parviz Parastui (actor), Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian (director and actor), Hadi Hejazifar (director and actor), Malek Siraj (actor), Ahmad Yousefzadeh (war veteran and writer), Mehrdad Afrasyabi (cinematographer), Adel Memarnia (cinematographer), Mohsen Sharifian (musician) Habib Ahmadzadeh (writer and director), Mohammad Mahdi Dadman (cultural manager), Zeinab Ahmadzadeh (writer) and Bijan Abdulkarimi (writer and university philosophy professor) were Iranian artists who were present in the festival.

On the sidelines of the festival, Iranian artists and war veterans met with the mayor of Hiroshima on the occasion of the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and presented the statue of Iranian martyr Daryagholi Sourani to the mayor.

Mohsen Sharifian, as a musician, also performed some pieces of Iranian music at the event.

The event was held by Hiroshima MOCT and Tehran Peace Museum in collaboration Iranian embassy in Tokyo. /T.T/

Iran freestyle team claimed the title in the 2023 U20 World Wrestling Championships for the third time in a row. The Iranian freestylers won four gold medals, two silvers and one bronze in the competition held in Amman, Jordan.

Reza Shakeri won Iran’s first gold medal after defeating Jesse Mendez from the U.S. 5-2 in the final bout of 65kg.

Abolfazl Babaloo overcame Ivan Prymache of Ukraine 5-0 in the final match of the 97kg.

Mohammadmobin Azimi beat Kazakhstan’s Rizabek Aitmukhan 5-4 in the 92kg final bout.

Amirreza Masoumi won Iran’s fourth gold by defeating Said Akhmatov from Russia 11-0 in the final bout of 125kg.

Ali Rezaei of Iran lost to Meyer Shapiro from the U.S. 11-6 in the final bout of 70kg and his countryman Hossein Mohammad Aghaei was defeated against American wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink 15-5 in the 74kg final.

Ali Mahmoud Khorramdel also won a bronze medal in 61kg.

Iran won the team title with 165 points, followed by the U.S. and India with 152 and 102 points, respectively. / T.T/

Iran defeated Mongolia 70-33 on Monday in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 Division B.Team Melli had defeated Malaysia 65-59 in their opening match in Group A.

Four players scored in double-digits for the victors led by Delaram Vakili who knocked down 4 three-pointers to end up with 13 points. Edna Eissaianjangi, Negin Rasoulipour, and Faezeh Shahriari all put in 11 points each in the resounding win.

Iran will meet Indonesia on Tuesday. Group B consists of Kazakhstan, Thailand, Jordan and Sri Lanka.

Iran have come into this competition ready to compete, coming off playing a series of tune-up games in Taipei. Even though they were unable to claim a victory, Iran had the opportunity to play games against quality teams like Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and the Philippines. /T.T/

Iran has experienced a significant rise in exports of medicine and medical equipment in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year that started on March 21.

“Exports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment grew by 300 percent in the first four months of the year,” IRNA quoted Heidar Mohammadi, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as saying.

Last year, some 1,060 trillion rials (about $2.1 billion) worth of medicine and medical equipment were manufactured inside the country, he added.

Around 99 percent of the medicine supplied to the domestic market is produced by Iranian companies, he highlighted.

Iran plans to increase the exports of medicine to around $200 million in the current year from some $60 million last year, Mohammadi said in April.

Currently, the production of medicine, medical equipment, and powdered milk is supported by subsidies. So, their exports were very limited, but it is hoped that their exports will increase next year, he explained.

Referring to the shortage of 100 drug items in the country, he said: “Currently, nearly one and a half percent of the country’s pharmaceutical need is imported. Along with domestic production, it is done as soon as the domestic production meets the demand.”

A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are supplying medical equipment for health centers across the country, according to the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

Iranian-made pharmaceuticals are currently exported to Canada, Japan, and Europe, Faramarz Ekhteraei, chairman of the Iranian Pharmaceutical Industries Syndicate said, emphasizing that 72 percent of the country’s pharmaceutical raw materials are domestically produced.

Some 40 percent of the country’s total pharmaceutical exports are biotechnology products, a member of the board of directors of the Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Medical Biotechnology Products said. /T.T/

Iranian scientists have managed to develop homegrown supersonic cruise missiles and are currently testing them, according to Tasnim News Agency. Military analysts believe the new generation of Iranian cruise missiles would be using ramjets to enable them to travel faster than the speed of sound.

Most Iranian cruise missiles use a rocket takeoff engine and a homegrown turbojet engine to carry out a two-stage launch. The latest cruise missiles employed in Iran’s navy use ramjet engines which means they use significantly less time to prepare. Supersonic missiles use the least amount of time for preparation which would enable Iran to show a more timely reaction to aggression. Ramjets work best at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 and have the capacity to reach the speed of Mach 6.

The handful of countries that have gained the technical knowledge to make supersonic cruise missiles are the U.S., China, India, Russia, and North Korea.
In June, Iran unveiled Fattah, a hypersonic ballistic missile it said is capable of breaching any defense system in the world. / T.T/

A photogrammetric documentation project has commenced on two of the iconic edifices inside the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran. Shams-ol-Emareh and Emarat-e Badgir will be accurately documented by the means of a photogrammetric method, Afarin Emami, who presides over the World Heritage site said on Sunday.

Pointing out that photogrammetry is one of the most accurate methods of documenting historical monuments, Emami said: “This method can produce a variety of outputs, including two-dimensional linear maps, flat photos, and three-dimensional models.”

“By using the 3D model, you can obtain the dimensions in all directions of length, width, and height, and investigate the unknown spaces of the building and answer questions about the structure and architecture of the building,” she explained.

Talking about Emarat-e Badgir, the official said this mansion, which has four high towers, is one of the most prominent buildings of Golestan Palace in terms of decorations. “Emarat-e Badgir boasts all kinds of decorations, such as exquisite tilework, plasterwork, paintings, carvings, and mirrorwork.”

She said this project is aimed at preparing data from all floors, horizontal and vertical flat images of interior spaces, 3D models, and even a route map of underground channels.Emarat-e Badgir of Golestan Palace in Tehran is the third construction of this complex, considering its age. The mansion was constructed upon the order of Fath Ali Shah, the second ruler of the Qajar dynasty.

Emarat-e Badgir consists of a massive “Shah Neshin” and two small interconnected rooms. The hall has nine sash windows and two painted truly breathtaking spiral columns. The coloring and decorations of the walls, ceiling, and ground all bear fantastic decorations such as paintings and mirrorwork.

Referring to the photogrammetry of the Shams-ol-Emareh, Emami said: In this project, plans of all the floors, walls, ceilings, and decorations have been prepared.

Shams-ol-Emareh (“Edifice of the Sun”) has a central open hall and twin two-tiered towers on top with arched windows and elaborate tilework. It is simple to picture Nasser al-Din Shah achieving his desired view, even though it is not possible to climb to the top.

“In the photogrammetric method, all the details and decorations related to architecture, including tiling, plastering, mirroring, and painting, are recorded. Also, doing this type of documentation for all Golestan palace buildings is foreseen in a management plan and will be done in order of priority,” Emami explained.

Photogrammetry is the art and science of deriving accurate 3-D metric and descriptive object information from multiple analog and digital images. It is one surveying method among others, e.g. simple and tactile methods, tacheometric and GPS surveys, various scanning methods, or remote sensing from satellites.

The palace complex once served as the official residence of Qajar monarchs who ruled Persia (Iran) between 1789 and 1925. It exemplifies architectural and artistic achievements of the Qajar epoch, as well as an introduction of European motifs and styles into Persian arts.

Experts say it displays a remarkable mixture of ancient Persian and contemporary European architectural styles, which characterized much of Iranian art in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Golestan Palace embodies a successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. Over the past two centuries, it became a center of arts and architecture, a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day.

Currently, the complex consists of eight key palace structures mostly used as museums and the eponymous gardens, a green shared center of the complex, surrounded by an outer wall with gates. / T.T/