Farabi International Award to hold closing ceremony

TEHRAN – The closing ceremony of the 16th Farabi International Award (FIA) on the Humanities and Islamic Studies will be held in Tehran on Sunday.

Hyrcanian forests management project to kick off 

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) is scheduled to implement the first phase of the Hyrcanian forests sustainable management project in the next Iranian calendar year, which will start on March 21.

National conference on social innovation to be held 

TEHRAN – The first national conference on social innovation with a focus on social economy is scheduled to be held in the forthcoming spring.

COMSTECH meeting: Iran named ‘top vaccine producer in Islamic countries’

TEHRAN – Iran has been named as one of the top three vaccine manufacturers in the Islamic world by the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).

National research, technology network for Persian medicine being launched

TEHRAN – The health ministry’s traditional medicine is developing a national research and technology network for Persian medicine to integrate scientific and technological efforts to enhance Persian medicine’s status and expand the value chain of medicinal plants.

DOE, Education Ministry plan to develop environmental education curriculum

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) and the Education Ministry have discussed the possibility of developing a national education curriculum to promote environmental responsibility and awareness among children.

Intl. students take first Persian language proficiency test

TEHRAN – The National Education Assessment Organization, in cooperation with the Organization of Students Affairs, held the first Persian language proficiency test for international students in Tehran on Thursday.

Iran elected as vice-chair of UN Commission for Social Development

TEHRAN –Abbas Tajik, Iran’s representative to the United Nations, has been appointed as the vice-chair of the 65th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD65).

IRCS basic health care units providing services in deprived areas

TEHRAN – The basic health care units (BHCU) deployed by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) are providing services free of charge in less privileged areas on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which is being marked from February 1-11.

DOE restoring four wetlands across country

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) is reviving four wetlands, namely Bamdej in southwestern Khuzestan province, Gomishan in northern Golestan province, Arjan in southern Fars province, and Quri Gol in northwestern East Azarbaijan province.

Iran among top 10 countries in regenerative medicine

TEHRAN – With the approval of six new advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), Iran has showcased breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, improving the country’s global ranking from 12 to 7.

National men’s health week to be marked

TEHRAN – The health ministry will observe the national men’s health week from February 20 to 26 to raise awareness on the importance of men's health among the public and policymakers.

Department of Environment enumerates measures to enhance public participation

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian year, March 2025, the Department of Environment has taken different steps to promote public participation in environmental protection.

INOTEX 2026 slated for May

TEHRAN – The 15th International Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INOTEX 2026) is planned to be held in Tehran from May 20 to 23.

Knowledge-based companies to attend ChinaPlas 2026

TEHRAN – Supported by the Organization for Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology, Iranian knowledge-based firms will participate in the 38th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries (ChinaPlas) scheduled to be held from April 21 to 24, 2026, in Hongqiao, Shanghai, China.

461 earthquakes hit Iran in a week

TEHRAN – A total of 461 earthquakes were recorded across the country in a week from January 31 to February 6, according to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Tehran.

Iran attends Intl. Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

TEHRAN – Iranian professors and students of Persian medicine have participated in the 12th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-12) in Thailand.

National working group convenes on environmental protection

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) held on Sunday the first national working group on promoting environmental protection.

Spain, Palestine, Italy, and Germany red cross societies condemn killing of IRCS member

TEHRAN – Red cross societies of Spain, Palestine, Italy, and Germany have condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Iran, which led to the martyrdom of one and injuries to five other staff members of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

Welfare Organization, UNICEF discuss ways to boost ties

TEHRAN – The head of the Welfare Organization, Javad Hosseini, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ad interim Representative in Iran, Monika Oledzka Nielsen, have explored the potential to expand cooperation, particularly regarding children aged below 18.

Health ministry to launch "Nowruz healthcare plan"

TEHRAN - To provide continuous and optimal health and medical services during the Nowruz holidays, the ministry of health will implement a special "Nowruz healthcare plan" with the help of the Emergency Medical Services Organization and medical universities across the country.

Intl. congress on vaccine, vaccination slated for April

TEHRAN – Razi Vaccine and Serum Production Research Institute will hold the first international congress on vaccine and vaccination (ICVV) from April 22 to 23 in Tehran.

Kish Island home to 230 bird species

TEHRAN – Despite being a relatively small island, stretching for 90 square kilometers, the Persian Gulf island of Kish is home to 230 bird species, accounting for a third of the country's birds.

Science ministry plans to establish 15 AI labs at universities

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology plans to launch 15 artificial intelligence (AI) laboratories at universities across the country to develop and test fundamental AI models.

Plan to launch IRCS medical center in Yerevan in final stage

TEHRAN – The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pirhossein Kolivand, and the president of the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS), Davit Nersisyan, have conferred about the final stage of a project to establish a medical center in Yerevan.

Social Welfare Organization marks Islamic Revolution’s anniversary with development projects

TEHRAN – The Social Welfare Organization has launched numerous development projects on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which is marked from February 1-11.

Iran, Uzbekistan extend deadline for joint scientific research submission

TEHRAN – Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the Agency for Innovative Development under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan have extended the deadline for the submission of joint scientific research.

Second round of polio vaccination to kick off by mid-February

TEHRAN – The supplementary phase of the national immunization campaign for polio eradication, using domestically produced vaccines, will be carried out from February 14 to 16, targeting some 700,000 children under the age of five.

By QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

As glaciers melt, the world’s hidden water banks are at risk

Glaciers – the world’s hidden water banks - are a source of life for billions. The seasonal melt from mountains and glaciers sustains some of the world’s most important rivers, such as the Indus, the Nile, the Ganges and the Colorado. Those and other mountain-fed rivers irrigate crops, provide drinking water for nearly two billion people, and power electricity generation.

Deadline extended for foreign students to attend Persian language proficiency test

TEHRAN - The deadline for foreign students to register for the first Persian language proficiency test has been extended by the National Education Assessment Organization.