TEHRAN –The World Health Organization’s (WHO) director for the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) has said Iran is a leading country in expanding its healthcare system and providing access to universal health coverage.

TEHRAN – Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has appreciated Iran’s efforts in providing services to refugees in different fields, such as health, education, and employment.

Rudsar in northern Gilan Province is the main producer of borage - a medicinal herb used in traditional and modern medicine for various conditions, including skin disorders and arthritis.

TEHRAN – The head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, has said cooperation is the only way forward, as without global cooperation, achieving sustainable development is impossible.

TEHRAN –Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, the coordinator general of the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), has said Iran plays a critical role in artificial intelligence (AI), relying on indigenized technology.

TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order, obligating the Department of Environment (DOE) to develop a strategic plan to preserve endangered species in the country.

TEHRAN – The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister, Sattar Hashemi, and the director general of Turkmenistan’s Agency for Transport and Communications, Chakyev Mammethan Berdimyradovich, have discussed ways to broaden ties between the two countries in digital economy, artificial intelligence, space technologies, and data transit.

TEHRAN – Recognizing the heavy burden imposed by Afghan refugees on Iran's health system, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has announced readiness to support the country despite the organization’s limited budget.

TEHRAN – The head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, and the deputy chairmen of the Federation Council of Russia, Konstantin Kosachev, have explored the potential of enhancing joint efforts in environmental fields.

TEHRAN – The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Tehran Office, Ieng Srong, has invited the country to participate in the 5th World Congress on Biosphere Reserves (WCBR), which is scheduled to be held from Sept. 22-26, in Hangzho, China.

TEHRAN –Out of 152,287 out-of-school children aged 6 to 11 identified across the country, about 29,000 have enrolled at schools, an official with the Ministry of Education has said.

TEHRAN –Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, in separate meetings with his Indonesian and Tunisian counterparts, has conferred on ways to foster scientific and technological relations.

TEHRAN –Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi and his Italian counterpart, Orazio Schillaci, have discussed avenues for promoting collaborations in the health sector, focusing particularly on the aging population and digital health.

TEHRAN – The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pirhossein Kolivand, has announced readiness to share its scientific and educational experiences as well as operational expertise with other red crescent societies with the contribution of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

TEHRAN –Environmental education is placed among the list of major programs of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Iran, aiming to develop sustainable solutions and international cooperation to address environmental challenges.

TEHRAN – Holding separate meetings with his Swiss and Saudi counterparts, Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi has discussed the potential of expanding cooperation in the health sector with the two countries.

TEHRAN – Following a visit to Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan province, Yumiko Takashima, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Iran, has commended the medical services provided to Afghan refugees.

TEHRAN – Water supply in Iran largely depends on rainfall, snowmelt, and underground aquifers, but decades of over-extraction have left groundwater resources severely depleted. While the global water resources are stretched by climate change and human population growth, the farms and industries are increasingly turning to groundwater to fill their needs.

TEHRAN – A total of 134 earthquakes were recorded across the country from May 10 to 16, according to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Tehran.

TEHRAN –The National No-Tobacco Day is scheduled to be held in the country from May 24 to 30.

TEHRAN – First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref has called for artificial intelligence development in Islamic countries based on the three main principles of multilateral cooperation, scientific synergy, and shared infrastructures.

TEHRAN –Over 32 specialized medical centers are benefitting from Persian medicine across the country to increase the chance of infertility treatment, Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, has said.

TEHRAN –Iranian and Russian officials have explored the potential of promoting joint efforts in combating drugs.

TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation will participate in the 11th Nevsky International Ecological Congress which is planned to be held from May 22 to 23 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

TEHRAN – Youth population is the top priority of the health ministry and the current administration, an official with the health ministry has said.

TEHRAN - People face pressures and adverse situations at all stages of their lives, which can threaten their mental and physical health. However, humans have the ability to cope with these pressures and continue their lives.

TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation headed by Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi will participate in the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), which is scheduled to be held from May 19 to June 27 in Geneva, Switzerland.

TEHRAN – Addressing the 2025 World Digital Education Conference (WDEC), Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Abolfazl Vahedi, proposed the establishment of a digital education center, as well as the development of a digital educational qualification system.

TEHRAN – The National Cartographic Center of Iran and the Russian Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop spatial data infrastructure (SDI).

TEHRAN – The Second Ministerial Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-15) Dialogue Platform is scheduled to kick off in Tehran tomorrow.

TEHRAN – Access and affordability of the internet, digital devices, and technologies have the power to accelerate progress across every sector of society. However, they remain out of reach for some 2.6 billion people, the majority of whom are women.

TEHRAN – The health ministry is scheduled to implement the second phase of the polio eradication campaign in the country’s northern half from May 17 to 19.

TEHRAN – According to a report released by the Ministry of Education, the dropout rate has lowered from 1.97 percent in Iranian year 1401 (2022-2023) to 1.65 percent in 1403 (2024-2025).

TEHRAN – Referring to the two million undocumented foreign nationals residing in the country, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni highlighted that Iran has no capacity to host these refugees.

TEHRAN – Uzbek Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Kongratbay Sharipov, in a meeting with Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, has underscored the need to enhance scientific and technological collaborations between the two countries, particularly focusing on children’s education.