In an official correspondence, Isaka Abdulkadir Imam, Secretary-General of the Developing Eight (D8) Organization, extended his gratitude to Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, for the warm hospitality extended during the 18th Tehran International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition.

In his letter, Abdulkadir Imam commended the success of the exhibition, noting it as a testament to the prominent role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in tourism diplomacy. He emphasized the importance of maintaining targeted and purposeful interactions and harnessing the potential for convergence within the regional tourism ecosystem.

Key strategic proposals outlined in the letter include the allocation of a dedicated exhibition hall for D8 member countries at the upcoming 19th International Tourism Exhibition in Tehran. Abdulkadir Imam described this initiative as a pivotal step toward strengthening economic diplomacy and fostering regional collaboration in the tourism industry.

Furthermore, the secretary-general proposed a joint meeting involving deputy ministers of culture and tourism from D8 member countries and private sector stakeholders to create a shared roadmap for joint investments in tourism, promoting sustainable development and maximizing the mutual capacities of the member nations.

He also reiterated the commitment of the D8 Secretariat to pursue and operationalize these strategic initiatives. He requested that the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts consider the D8 Secretariat as a key partner in the planning process for the 2026 exhibition, a move he believes will facilitate timely communication, enhance effective interactions, and ensure robust participation by member countries.

The letter underlines a mutual commitment to deepening strategic cooperation and developing innovative capacities in both regional and international tourism arenas.

Abdulkadir Imam attended the 18th Tehran International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition which was held from February 11 to 14 in the Iranian capital. / T.T/

On the second day of their visit to Isfahan, a group of 100 tour operators from 25 countries explored various sections of the Isfahan Healthcare City, including its state-of-the-art dental facilities and advanced nuclear medicine department.

Following the tour, the experts met with Masoud Sarrami, a renowned entrepreneur from Isfahan and the founder of this massive healthcare complex. During the discussion, Sarrami highlighted the capabilities and strengths of the medical center, emphasizing that patients and their companions from across Iran and around the world can stay in the hotels within the complex. This allows them to not only receive high-quality medical care but also explore the cultural attractions of Isfahan.

Welcoming the visitors, Sarrami expressed his vision for the center, stating, “Welcome to a part of a paradise on Earth, because we believe that paradise is a place where there is no harm, and where no one interferes with others.”

He further explained, “We believe that humans create paradise in their minds, experiencing eternal comfort through it. Here, we have built a paradise whose values give us the strength and hope to work harder and serve people even more. We have established the best healthcare services here for the people of Isfahan, the people of Iran, and those who come here from every corner of the world.”

Sarrami also announced a special service for guests staying in the hotels within the healthcare city, stating that they will receive complimentary medical and health diagnostic tests as part of their stay.

The visit showcased Isfahan Healthcare City’s commitment to integrating top-tier medical services with hospitality, making it a premier destination for both medical tourism and cultural exploration. /T.T/

Iranian Vice President for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy Hossein Afshin has said that manufacturing domestic aircraft in the country is on the way.

He announced the joint programs of the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy.

Referring to building an 8-seater aircraft, he added, “We have started launching this project domestically in cooperation with expert engineers.”

The vice-presidency for science and technology throws its weight behind all efforts of the elites and scientists of the country, he underlined.

Afshin also announced the drafting of a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the vice-presidency for science and technology, the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Defense, adding that signing this agreement has been postponed and it will probably be finalized during the holy month of Ramadan.  /MNA/

Mourners from across the region gather in Beirut for the funeral of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s long-serving leader, and his appointed successor, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine.

Beirut, IRNA – Hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the region have gathered in Beirut for the funeral of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s long-serving leader, and his appointed successor, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, who were both assassinated by the Israeli regime last year.

The mourners gathered at 9:00 a.m. local time (7:00 GMT) on Sunday at Beirut stadium (the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium) and the nearby streets in southern Beirut. The event is being broadcast live on IRNA’s website.

Delegates from the Iranian government, including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as private citizens, are in attendance.

As part of the massive ceremony, the streets of Beirut have been adorned with images of the two martyrs as well as Iran’s late anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, alongside banners proclaiming, “We remain true to the pledge.”

Villages across southern Lebanon are also preparing to take part in the burial ceremonies. Nasrallah will be laid to rest on Sunday in Burj al-Barajneh, a southern suburb of Beirut, while Safieddine will be buried in his hometown of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr on Monday.

Similar symbolic funeral ceremonies are being held in Tehran and other locations to honor the Lebanese resistance leaders. In the Iranian capital, a gathering will take place at Imam Khomeini Mosalla in the evening, with billboards around the city reading, “We remain true to the pledge,” inviting people to attend.

Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for 32 years, was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on September 27 last year in Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut. Safieddine, named Hezbollah’s new secretary-general in the wake of Nasrallah’s assassination, was killed in a similar Israeli act of aggression in Dahieh on October 3. /  IRNA/

Secretary of Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council Emad Ahmadvand says the country is exporting over $1 million worth of nanotechnology products to six developed states in previous Iranian calendar year (ended Mar. 20, 2024).

By exporting more than $1 million worth of nanotechnology products overseas, the country plays a leading role in the global nanotechnology market.

Iran is busy and active in the field of exporting nanotechnology products to different countries and is now cooperating with various countries in the world in the fields of textile products and related equipment.

Iraq is considered a stable destination for the export of Iranian nano products in all industrial fields except nanomaterials, energy, and agriculture, he said, adding that Iran has the maximum exports to the neighboring countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Georgia in the field of the civil engineering industry.

He went on to say that India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are Iran’s three major export destinations in the field of nanomaterials, adding that China and India stand at the first and second ranks in the world in terms of chemicals.

Iran exported more than $1 million worth of nanotechnology products to developed countries including Russia, the US, the UK, China, South Korea, and Germany in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2024), Ahmadvand added.

MNA/

The Iranian commercial attaché in Qatar referred to the development of trade interactions between Iran and Qatar, and announced a 53-percent increase in the value of trade between the two countries in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20 – December 21, 2024), as compared to the same period of time in the past year.

Abbas Abdolkhani, citing the report of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), put the worth of trade between Iran and Qatar in the first nine months of this year at about $265 million, and added this figure shows a 53-percent growth compared to the same period last year.

According to him, the trade statistics during the mentioned period indicate the development of economic interactions between the two countries.

While listing the most important export items of Iran to Qatar, Abdolkhani noted that vegetables, agricultural products, foodstuffs, eggs, shrimp, saffron, carpets, constructional materials, and minerals are among the most important export goods of Iran to Qatar; which indicates the diversity of Iran’s non-oil export basket.

The Iranian commercial attaché in Qatar continued: “Iran’s export products to Qatar play an important role in meeting the needs of this market, while Iran’s imports from Qatar are mainly intermediary goods used in the production process. This trend indicates the completion of the supply chain and the strengthening of economic cooperation in industrial and production sectors between the two countries.”

He further stated that trade exchanges between Iran and Qatar are carried out through the maritime route from the port of Dayyer in Iran to the port of Al Ruwais in Qatar, and said: “This route plays a fundamental role in facilitating the transportation of goods between the two countries as one of the most important communication channels.”

Abdolkhani concluded that the significant increase in trade exchanges between Iran and Qatar indicates the potential economic capacities of the two countries, which can lead to further growth in bilateral interactions if infrastructure is expanded and trade barriers are removed.

The 10th Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Committee meeting concluded on December 12, 2024, in Doha, with officials from both nations pledging to enhance bilateral economic ties and increase trade to $1.0 billion annually.

The meeting, co-chaired by Iran’s Minister of Energy Abbas Ali-Abadi and Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, focused on expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, including energy, infrastructure, and trade.

The event featured four specialized committees: Trade (covering commerce, banking, and insurance), Infrastructure (transport, agriculture, and ICT), Social and Cultural (tourism, health, and research), and Energy (water, electricity, oil, and gas). Over 60 representatives from public and private sectors of both countries participated in the discussions.

Ali-Abadi emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership, saying, “Today’s economic relations between Iran and Qatar require a strategic outlook.” He noted that current trade between the two countries stands at approximately $200 million annually, with plans to increase it fivefold to $1 billion in the near future.

The official further highlighted a significant energy project involving a 200-kilometer undersea power line to connect Iran and Qatar’s electricity networks. Initiated in March 2023, the feasibility study is in its final stages, with implementation set to follow approval.

“This project will revolutionize power transfer between the two nations during peak demand periods and enable electricity transit to third countries,” Ali-Abadi stated.

He also expressed Iran’s readiness to welcome Qatari investors, envisioning mutual investments of at least $1 billion annually. Key focus areas include energy, transport, free trade zones, tourism, healthcare, and agriculture.

The Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Committee, established in 1995, has facilitated significant achievements, particularly in water and electricity sectors. The 10th session underlined both nations’ commitment to translating agreements into tangible outcomes and fostering regional cooperation.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides signed a comprehensive cooperation document to determine the framework of cooperation in the coming year.

Speaking in an online meeting with Saleh Alkhulaifi, the deputy Industry and Commerce minister of Qatar, in late November 2024, Mohammad-Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, the head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), said that Iran seeks to reach one billion dollars in annual trade with Qatar.

Referring to the extensive political and cultural relations between the two countries, Dehghan Dehnavi said: “Despite the efforts of both sides, economic relations between Tehran and Doha have not reached the desired level.”

“Fruits and food products are Iran’s top exported items to Qatar, and it cannot be expected that the trade between the two countries will exceed one billion dollars with the export of such products, the official said.

According to the TPO head, the challenges in developing trade with Qatar are clear, and Iran is trying to increase the volume of trade with Qatar by developing a well-considered and coherent work plan.

Alkhulaifi for his part stated that the strict customs regulations in Qatar affect all countries, saying: “We will work to expedite the clearance of Iranian goods from Qatari ports and issue visas to Iranian businessmen, and we hope that the prospect of a billion-dollar trade between the two countries will be realized in the near future.”

During a meeting between Iran’s Energy Minister Abbas Ali-Abadi and Qatar’s Ambassador to Iran Saad Abdullah Saad Al Mahmoud Al Shareef, at the place of the ministry in Tehran, in mid-November 2024, the two sides discuss the ways to expand economic and trade ties between the two countries.

In this meeting, the Iranian minister emphasized the implementation of the economic cooperation documents signed by the two sides and offering necessary facilities to the traders and those active in the economy sector.

Addressing the same meeting, Reza Jabari, an Iranian MP and also the chairman of Iran-Qatar Friendship Group, referred to the scientific, technical and economic potential and capacities of Iran and called for the facilitation of the relation between Iranian and Qatari traders.

In early October 2024, high-ranking officials from Iran and Qatar signed six cooperation documents in the fields of trade and economy, culture, education, sports, and agriculture.

The documents were signed during an official visit to Doha by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iran’s Minister of Energy Abbas Ali-Abadi, who is the Iranian head of the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Committee, was also present at the signing ceremony.

The documents were inked by the Iranian and Qatari ministers of energy, foreign affairs, and sports and youth affairs

On the sidelines of the Iranian delegation’s visit to Doha, the Iranian energy minister met with Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani, the Qatari minister of commerce and industry, who is the Qatari head of the two countries’ Joint Economic Committee.

In this meeting, Ali-Abadi emphasized the need for joint investment and production by the private sectors of the two countries.

Ali-Abadi also held a meeting with Qatari Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi in Doha, in which the two sides stressed the need to finalize feasibility studies about the connection of the electricity grids of the two countries.

Also, the issue of exporting technical, energy and engineering services from Iran to Qatar was raised by Iran’s minister of energy, which was welcomed by the Qatari side.

The Iranian official invited his Qatari counterpart to visit Iran to learn about the country’s high potential and capability in the electricity industry.

Joint-venture investment using the capabilities of the two countries in the field of electricity was among the other topics discussed at the meeting. /T.T/

The Iranian minister of health has said that the country is the number-one in the Middle East region concerning its research on medical ethics.

And the faculties of medicine and the research centers play important role in this area, Mohammad Reza Zafarqandi said on the sidelines of the 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics and 8th Nursing Ethics Congress in Tehran on Tuesday.

In his remarks, the minister stressed the importance of following the medical ethics rules.

Elaborating on the Ministry’s plans, Zafarqandi said he prioritizes pursuing family physician program which can provide fair services for all patients.

At the end of his remarks, the Iranian health minister appreciated the medical personnel for thier great commitments to their duties.  /MNA/

For the second consecutive year, Iran ranked second with 87 universities included in the D-8 group universities in 2023. D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among eight Islamic nations, namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

Turkey with 178, Pakistan with 61, and Indonesia with 58, Malaysia with 43 universities ranked first, third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Egypt (42), Bangladesh (32), and Nigeria (18) were placed sixth to eighth.

“To rank the universities of the D-8 group, information about 1,700 organizations of the members in the InCites database from 2019 to 2021 has been analyzed,” IRNA quoted Ahmad Fazelzadeh, head of the Islamic World Science Citation (ISC) Database, as saying.

“The universities that had issued more than 150 documents within this time frame constituted the target population of D8 ranking. The number of universities that met these conditions was 519 universities that appeared in the 2023 ranking,” he added.

The most important criteria for evaluating the performance of D-8 group universities include research, innovation, education, and international activities.

Cairo University, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and University of Malaya were placed first to third among 519 universities included in the ranking.

University of Tehran, and Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were placed second and fifth in the country.

Recent rankings

Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR) placed 29 Iranian universities among top institutions worldwide for interdisciplinary science research.

ISR is a project launched in association with Schmidt Science Fellows; it ranked a total of 749 universities from 92 countries.

University of Tehran with a global ranking of 77 was placed first in the country.

Shiraz University (ranked 132 globally) Razi University (174), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (187), University of Tabriz (201-250) ranked second to fifth, respectively.

Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, and Urmia University were ranked joint sixth with a global ranking of 251-300.

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings placed 32 Iranian universities in the list of top universities in 2025, compared to 31 universities in 2024.

Published annually since 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings highlight the top universities in Asia each year.

University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 87) is placed first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (ranking 97 globally) and Amirkabir University of Technology (ranking 114 globally), Mehr news agency reported.

Isfahan University of Technology, Shiraz University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, University of Tabriz, Shahid Beheshti University, and University of Isfahan are ranked fourth to tenth, respectively.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 placed 85 Iranian universities among the top institutions compared to 75 universities in 2024.

The 2025 rankings include 2,092 ranked universities from 115 countries. There are 185 new entries compared with last year.

Sharif University of Technology ranked first in the country with a global ranking of 301-350.

Amirkabir University of Technology, and Iran University of Science and Technology (ranking globally 351 –400) were placed second.

Kermanshah University of Medical Science, and University of Tehran were placed third with a global ranking of 401- 500.

Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shiraz University of Technology, and Tehran University of Technology were ranked joint fourth, they ranked 601-800, globally.

A total of 100 universities from Iran were ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence.

The rankings were determined by analyzing 14.9 m citations received by 1.26 m academic publications made by 310 universities from Iran, the popularity of 867 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

This year, 14131 universities from 183 countries were ranked across 246 topics.

According to the report University of Tehran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and Sharif University of Technology were the best universities in the country, IRIB reported.

The Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities, also known as the National Taiwan University (NTU) Rankings, placed 21 Iranian institutions among the top 1,200 universities worldwide, compared to 18 universities in 2023.

University of Tehran won the best ranking among Iranian institutions, ranking 291 globally.

University of Tehran ranked 30 in chemical engineering as well as energy science and engineering, 34 in mechanical engineering, and 73 in agriculture.

Tehran University of Medical Sciences (with a global ranking of 359), Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences (491), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (540), and Tarbiat Modarres University (577) were placed second to fifth, respectively.

Tehran University of Medical Science’s best ranking globally was 22 in pharmacology and toxicology.

Moreover, Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology and Yasouj University were among the top 1200 institutions in the world based on full-time academic staff.

The 2024-2025 edition of Best Global Universities rankings included 69 Iranian universities, up from 52 in 2023, among the world’s 2,250 top universities.

University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 275), Islamic Azad University (374), Sharif University of Technology and Tehran University of Medical Sciences (516), University of Tabriz (521), and Amirkabir University of Technology (649) ranked first to fifth in the country, respectively.

Shanghai ranking 2024 placed nine Iranian universities among the top 1,000 institutions worldwide.

Tehran University of Medical Sciences and University of Tehran, which were among the top 500 universities in the world with a rank of 401–500, were placed top in the country.
Tarbiat Modares University (601–700) was placed second.

Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti of Medical Sciences, and Sharif University of Technology with a ranking of 701-800, shared the third rank in the country.

Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran University of Science and Technology, and University of Tabriz (901 –1000) were ranked joint fourth. /T.T/