For a long time, mental health in the Middle East stayed tucked away in private corners of conversation. A relative might hint at persistent worry, then quickly shift to the weather or work. Suggesting therapy could raise eyebrows, as if it signaled some deeper failing. That reluctance has not vanished, but it is loosening. More people in Iran now open their phones not just to check messages, but to look for a psychologist who might understand what they are going through.

TEHRAN – A total of 94 earthquakes were recorded across the country in a week from December 13 to 19, according to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Tehran.

TEHRAN – Japanese officials have announced their willingness to expand cooperation with Iran in areas that are not subject to sanctions, particularly the environment and pharmaceuticals.

TEHRAN – Thanks to targeted planning and coordinated efforts, about 125 Iranian journals have been indexed by the reputable databases of Scopus and Web of Science over the past four years, an official with the Ministry of Science has said.

TEHRAN – The deputy health minister, Alireza Raeisi, has said the World Health Organization is a strategic partner and a norm-setting reference for the country's health sector.

TEHRAN – A delegation from the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) paid a visit to Iran, holding roundtables on smart livestock farming and climate change, with experts from member states, namely Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in attendance.

TEHRAN – The head of the Welfare Organization, Javad Hosseini, and the deputy minister of Tajikistan's Health and Social Protection, Muhiddin Khayrullozoda, have agreed to boost cooperation in the welfare and social empowerment sectors.

TEHRAN – Over the past four decades, Iran has been one of the top countries hosting the largest number of refugees and migrants, despite many challenges facing the country.

TEHRAN – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has held two intensive neonatal health workshops in Saravan, Sistan-Baluchestan province.

TEHRAN – The Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) of the country, in cooperation with the Russian Federation, is conducting workshops that provide effective strategies for the early detection and prevention of drug abuse in Tehran and eight other provinces of the country.

TEHRAN – During the closing ceremony of the second World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, Iran pledged commitments to advance the implementation of the Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025-2034.

TEHRAN – The 16th International Conference on Information, Knowledge Technology (IKT 2025) will kick off on Monday and will run till December 25, with scientists from six countries, namely the U.S., Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and New Zealand in attendance.  

TEHRAN – The head of the health ministry’s traditional medicine office, Hossein Rezaeizadeh, the advisor to the health ministry’s traditional medicine office, Arman Zargaran, along with the ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, have attended the second World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine.

TEHRAN – Awad Mataria, the new World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Iran, held a meeting with Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi on Sunday.

TEHRAN – The tenth edition of the national program to honor outstanding scientific researchers was held on Sunday, with the vice-president for science, technology, and knowledge-based economy, Hossein Afshin, and the head of Iran National Science Foundation, Ali-Mohammad Soltani, in attendance.

TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation has participated in a meeting of the working group on establishing the secretariat of the Tehran Convention in the Caspian Sea region.

TEHRAN – The health ministry, in collaboration with the Welfare Organization, is conducting health screening tests for women heads of households nationwide.

TEHRAN – Ten countries, namely Hungary, China, Japan, Malaysia, Iraq, Brazil, Serbia, Brunei, Bangladesh, and Russia, offer scholarships to Iranian university students.

TEHRAN – Iranian and Malaysian officials have discussed ways to enhance collaborations between the two countries, especially the promotion of science diplomacy.

TEHRAN – Funded by the Republic of Korea, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in cooperation with the Government of Iran, has constructed a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Kohak, Sistan-Baluchestan province, to foster resilience in the region.

TEHRAN – The Islamic World Science Citation (ISC) Institute database has recognized 557 most-cited Iranian researchers in human sciences, social sciences, art, and architecture in the current Iranian year, which started in March 2025, indicating a 14 percent increase compared to 489 researchers in the previous year.

TEHRAN – In the first nine months of 2025, more than 1.7 million Afghan refugees have returned from Iran to Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported in a press release on October 27.

TEHRAN – A delegation from Afghanistan’s Food and Drug Administration met with Iranian counterparts in Tehran on Wednesday to explore the potential for expanding ties in the health sector.

TEHRAN – Director of the Department of Communicable Diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Benedetta Allegranzi, has paid a visit to Iran, conducting a technical mission to strengthen communicable disease control, particularly in Tehran, Tabriz, in the northwest of the country, and Bandar Abbas in the south.

TEHRAN – Ahmadreza Lahijanzadeh, the deputy head of the Department of Environment (DOE) for Marine and Wetlands affairs, and Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, the resident representative ad interim for United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Iran, held talks in Tehran on Wednesday, with a focus on the preservation of the country’s wetlands, particularly Hour al-Azim and Hamoun wetlands through provisions of water rights from Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. 

TEHRAN – Boosting resilience and adaptation is the most effective strategy to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, has said.

TEHRAN – Observed annually on December 18, the International Migrants Day raises awareness of the impacts that migrants have on societies, both economically, culturally, and socially; however, well-managed migration is a strategic asset as it strengthens resilience, fuels prosperity, and supports social cohesion.

TEHRAN – The second scientific conference between Iran and Russia was held in Moscow on Monday, with Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali; science attaché, Hadi Goudarzi, and representatives from universities and scientific institutions of the two countries in attendance.

TEHRAN – The 26th Khwarizmi Youth Award (KYA) honored 54 winners on Tuesday in a special ceremony at Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, with science minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf in attendance.

TEHRAN – The first international and the fourth national conference on mobile learning, titled ‘Mobile learning in the age of artificial intelligence (AI): transformation of educational and vocational training system in industry’, is scheduled to be held on February 16 and 17 in Tehran’s Allameh Tabatabai University.

TEHRAN – The Bolivian Minister of Health and Sports, Marcela Tatiana Flores Zambrana, has expressed her country’s willingness to promote cooperation with the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in the health sector, particularly the provision of hemodialysis and medical equipment.

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TEHRAN – A total of 136 earthquakes were recorded across the country in a week from December 6 to 12, according to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Tehran.

TEHRAN – The head of the Organization for the Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology, Hossein Roozbeh, has announced the country’s readiness to share knowledge and boost technological cooperation with African countries, particularly Ethiopia.

TEHRAN – The fourth exhibition showcasing the achievements of creative and knowledge-based companies is scheduled to take place from December 28 to 31 in Tehran, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI).