Iran joins countries with advanced quantum training laboratories
Iran joins countries with advanced quantum training laboratories
TEHRAN – Iran has joined countries with advanced laboratories for hands-on training in quantum technologies with the inauguration of three specialized facilities in quantum optics and quantum information, established with support from the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy.
Quantum technologies are considered one of the strategic fields of science and technology, globally. The development of quantum technologies requires advancement in fundamental research, specialized training, and advanced laboratories, IRNA reported.
The three advanced laboratories inaugurated in Isfahan University of technology (on October 14), Shahid Beheshti University (on October 17), and Sharif University of Technology (on October 20) with the aim of strengthening the scientific capacities of the universities, developing national quantum technology ecosystem, providing practical training, expanding students’ experiences, and developing human resources required to advance quantum research and technologies.
Now, Iranian students have gained access to infrastructure for directly conducting advanced experiments, including entangled photon generation, single-photon detection and generation, experimental tests of Bell’s inequality, two-photon interference, quantum tomography, quantum key distribution, and the investigation of diamond-based quantum systems.
In July 2025, President Masoud Pezeshkian declared the implementation of the ‘national document on quantum science and technology’.
The document is a comprehensive set of main objectives, assessment indicators, national strategies, implementing and monitoring mechanisms, IRNA quoted Abdolhassan Bahrami, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-based Economy, as saying.
It has been developed as a roadmap for the progress of research, expansion of technology, and commercialization of quantum technologies, the official added.
In this line, quantum science and technology headquarters will be established to enhance coordination among relevant organizations, develop an implementation roadmap, pursue the development of regulations, observe national and global advancements, as well as propose amendments to revise the document.
To implement the document, the vice-presidency, in cooperation with other relevant institutions, will initially provide a national plan for division of labor in the quantum science and technology sector. It will be followed by providing support for the development of applications, commercialization, and participation of knowledge-based companies to make the best use of domestic innovative capacities.
Iran ranks first in key scientific output among Islamic countries
Iran ranks first among Islamic nations in key fields of scientific output such as quantum science, cognitive sciences, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and advanced materials, the head of the Presidential Affairs Office at the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) announced in August.
The country is in close competition with Turkey and Saudi Arabia in these fields, IRNA quoted Saeed Bakhtiari as saying.
He made the remarks in a press briefing on August 17, noting that the development of science in these fields has also been emphasized in national development plans.
Based on the reputable Web of Science database, Iran ranks first among Islamic countries in scientific output in some of these fields, while placing second or third in others. Overall, however, Iran holds the top position, he said.
Bakhtiari noted that in advanced materials—a multidisciplinary field spanning physics, chemistry, mechanics and materials science—Iran ranks second among Islamic countries and ninth worldwide.
He added that Iran ranks third in artificial intelligence, behind Saudi Arabia and Turkey, while in quantum science it ranks second, after Saudi Arabia.
The ISC official further said that Iran holds the top position among Islamic countries in scientific output in cognitive sciences and ranks first overall.
According to Web of Science (WoS) data, over a five-year period (from 2021 to 2025), Iran (with 32 documents) ranks first in cognitive sciences among Islamic countries.
Turkey, with 23 documents, and Saudi Arabia, with 22 documents, are placed second and third, respectively, IRNA reported.
From 2014 to 2023, Iran ranked either first or second in most fields of cognitive sciences among Islamic countries. Over the course of the decade, the country ranked first in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive rehabilitation, and cognitive linguistics with 387, 156, and 30 documents, respectively.
It ranked second in cognitive psychology (124 documents), cognitive education (561 documents), philosophy of mind (34 documents), and cognitive evaluation (898 documents). The country’s best ranking globally was in cognitive neuroscience; it ranked 15.
Tehran University of Medical Sciences, with 73 documents, University of Tehran, with 39 documents, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, with 32 documents, ranked first to third in cognitive neuroscience. In cognitive psychology, University of Tehran(10 documents ), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (7 documents), and Allameh Tabatabai University (6 documents) were the top three universities.
In cognitive linguistics, University of Tehran (with 3 documents), Al-Zahra University (3 documents), and Allameh Tabatabei University (2 documents ) ranked first to third. In cognitive education, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were placed first to third, respectively.
In cognitive rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (21 documents), University of Tehran (16 documents), and Iran University of Medical Sciences (12 documents) ranked first to third. The best three universities in philosophy of mind were University of Tehran, Isfahan University, and Amirkabir University of Technology.
In cognitive evaluation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences ranked first with 196 documents. Iran University of Medical Sciences (105 documents) and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (91 documents) ranked second and third.
The country is placed second in quantum (with 216 documents) and advanced materials (with 5975 documents), after Saudi Arabia, with 283 and 6160 documents in quantum and advanced materials. Malaysia (with 154 documents) and Egypt (with 3151 documents) are placed third in quantum and advanced materials, respectively.
Despite illegal sanctions, Iran secures first place in cognitive sciences among Islamic nations and ranks ninth globally in advanced materials. Numerous prestigious Iranian universities and institutions are included in international rankings. These accomplishments underscore the country’s scientific capabilities, IRIB quoted Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf as saying, addressing the 7th Turkey Educational Technologies Summit (known as TETZ 2026), held in Istanbul from June 26 to 28.
Iran serves as a great opportunity to invest in higher education and modern technologies. The country has one of the largest higher education systems in the region, with more than three million students and over seventy thousand faculty members and researchers.
Highlighting that the rapid development of emerging technologies, including AI, is fundamentally transforming human relationships and higher education systems around the world at an unprecedented pace, Simaei-Sarraf said that effective use of smart technologies requires the establishment of a system based on algorithmic transparency, educational justice, accountability, protection of learners’ rights, and responsible data governance.
MT/MG
source: tehrantimes.com