Iran

general-soleimani

supreme-leader

Islamic-Republic

Qassem Soleimani (1957–2020), widely known as “Haj Qassem”, served as the former commander of the Qods Force and was regarded as a central figure in the Axis of Resistance against the Zionist regime and the United States.&nbsp;During the Sacred Defense (8 year Iran–Iraq War), he commanded the 41st Tharallah Division and played key roles in major operations including Valfajr 8, Karbala 4, and Karbala 5. In 2000, he was appointed commander of the Qods Force by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following the emergence of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Soleimani was actively present in both arenas, organizing popular forces and leading efforts against the group and in this regard he is widely credited with playing a decisive role in dismantling ISIS’s territorial control in occupied areas.&nbsp;Undoubtedly, Soleimani was considered one of the most influential figures in safeguarding Iran’s national security. Drawing on faith and resolution, he pursued the strategic objectives of the Islamic Republic, including the defense of the oppressed and Palestinian liberation, on a global scale. His mastery of military tactics and ability to thwart adversarial plans earned him the title of “Shadowless General.”&nbsp;Lieutenant General Soleimani was martyred at the age of 62 in the early hours of Friday, January 3, 2020, in Iraq, in what Iran described as a U.S.-led terrorist operation.

On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Haj Qassem, a compelling video revisits part of the final testament of Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani addressed to scholars

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Soleimani’s Will: A Message to Scholars

www_balagh_ir_u6901n17168_88c8ecd205.mp4

ai-technology

knowledge-based-companies

persian-ai-assistant

ai-transformation

generative-ai

ai-platform

According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Agency (IRIB News), Seyed Kamran Bagheri, CEO of Smileino, a knowledge-based company, stated that the growing use of artificial intelligence in everyday life and professional activities has highlighted the need for local AI tools tailored to the language, culture, and requirements of Iranian users. In response, Smileino has prioritized the development of Persian-language AI solutions.&nbsp;Referring to Zigap, one of the company's achievements, Bagheri explained that Zigap is a comprehensive intelligent assistant for Persian speakers, designed to address a wide range of user needs through a simple and user-friendly environment. The assistant enables users to perform many daily tasks, including interacting with AI, generating images, and other activities.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:38.52%;"><img src="https://fiqhci.s3.ir-thr-at1.arvanstorage.com/image_19bde3bf2e.png"></figure>&nbsp;He added that Zigap will soon offer a broad range of digital services, significantly improving access to both public and private services. One of its key goals is to provide a Persian-language platform tailored to the needs of Iranian users, allowing them to benefit from AI services in various aspects of daily life without relying on foreign systems. Currently, more than 20 services are available through Zigap, serving approximately 2 million users.&nbsp;Bagheri also introduced Ham-Hoosh, a specialized AI platform designed to drive AI transformation within organizations and businesses. The platform leverages existing digital tools within organizations and integrates them with AI technologies, enabling significant productivity gains and substantial improvements in organizational management.&nbsp;Built on top of organizations' existing digital infrastructures, the platform helps businesses harness AI to solve core operational challenges in ways that were previously impossible. Bagheri noted that many organizations possess vast amounts of scattered data across numerous digital systems. However, understanding and effectively utilizing this data has remained a major challenge. He explained that Ham-Hoosh uses the latest advances in AI technology to interpret and analyze this data, enabling organizations to make better decisions and improve performance. This added value is especially important for large enterprises.&nbsp;According to Bagheri, Ham-Hoosh can be applied across various organizational functions, including customer support, operations, sales, maintenance, finance, procurement, and more. In addition to improving user experience, the platform provides senior executives with unprecedented managerial insights that were previously unimaginable. As a result, many large Iranian companies and organizations are already using Ham-Hoosh to significantly enhance their business operations.&nbsp;Emphasizing the role of knowledge-based companies in advancing strategic technologies, Bagheri stated that the development of indigenous AI products not only addresses domestic needs but also contributes to building a strong technology ecosystem, creating specialized employment opportunities, expanding software infrastructure, and increasing the share of the knowledge-based economy. He further stressed that investing in AI and supporting knowledge-based companies active in this field are among the most important prerequisites for maintaining a strong presence in future technological competition. Domestic teams and products can play a vital role in strengthening technological independence and developing national capabilities.&nbsp;Bagheri concluded by noting that products such as Zigap and Ham-Hoosh have been developed based on the expertise of Iranian specialists. Their widespread adoption, however, depends on increasing public awareness of local AI capabilities and strengthening the country's technology ecosystem through the support of relevant authorities and institutions.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iribnews.ir/00OPs8">https://www.iribnews.ir/00OPs8</a>&nbsp;

A domestic knowledge-based company has successfully designed and developed two indigenous AI-based products to meet the needs of users and organizations 

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Expansion of Indigenous AI Solutions for Businesses

ai-research

islamic-sciences

ai-governance

ai-futures

ethics-of-artificial-intelligence

research-grant

call-for-proposals

Tehran (IRNA) – A special research grant call titled “Religious Sciences and Knowledge: Islamic Theoretical Studies on Artificial Intelligence” has been announced for faculty members. Applicants may submit research proposals from June 7 to August 7, 2026.&nbsp;According to the National Science Foundation of Iran, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most advanced and influential technological achievements of the 21st century. Its impact extends far beyond scientific and industrial fields into nearly every aspect of human life, and this influence continues to expand rapidly. It can even be argued that AI has fundamentally changed the way people live. While AI initially appears to be a technology that serves humanity by dramatically increasing efficiency and productivity, a deeper examination reveals that it is reshaping the world and, consequently, transforming human beings themselves. This broad influence creates not only opportunities but also complex challenges that require careful and comprehensive study.&nbsp;The call invites faculty members from universities, seminaries, and recognized research institutions to submit proposals in the following priority areas.<h2>Priority Research Areas</h2><h3>1. Philosophical and Rational Studies of AI</h3><ul><li>Ontology of AI</li><li>Epistemology of AI</li><li>Logic of AI</li><li>Human foundations of AI (philosophy of mind and AI)</li><li>Value foundations of AI (AI ethics, etc.)</li><li>Psychology of AI</li><li>Cognitive science and AI</li></ul><h3>2. Theological and Religious Studies of AI</h3><ul><li>Theology of AI</li><li>Islamic theology (kalam) and AI</li><li>Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and AI</li><li>Religious studies and AI</li><li>Islamic studies and AI (Qur’anic studies, exegesis, principles of jurisprudence, Islamic history)</li></ul><h3>3. Legal and Economic Studies of AI</h3><ul><li>AI law (foundations, applications, development)</li><li>AI economics (foundations, applications, development)</li></ul><h3>4. Governance and Policy Studies of AI</h3><ul><li>AI governance</li><li>Cyberspace and AI</li><li>Security and AI</li><li>Cognitive warfare and AI</li><li>Politics and AI</li></ul><h3>5. Applied AI Studies</h3><ul><li>Strategies for using AI in religious studies and activities</li><li>Opportunities and challenges of AI adoption</li><li>AI in education</li><li>AI in religious outreach and preaching</li><li>AI in research</li><li>AI in judicial decision-making</li><li>AI in training and character development</li></ul><h3>6. Futures Studies of AI</h3><ul><li>Foundations of AI foresight and future studies</li><li>AI singularity</li><li>AI and future studies of religion and religiosity</li><li>Artificial life</li><li>Smart government and smart cities</li></ul><h3>7. Civilization, Society, and Culture Studies</h3><ul><li>Sociology of AI</li><li>Cultural studies of AI</li><li>Family and AI</li></ul><h3>8. AI and the Human and Islamic Sciences</h3><ul><li>Nature and identity of digital humanities and digital Islamic studies</li><li>Ontological, anthropological, epistemological, and theological foundations of digital humanities and Islamic sciences</li><li>AI-related issues in literature, sociology, psychology, linguistics, management, economics, political science, education, family studies, culture and civilization, and history</li></ul><h2>Eligibility</h2>Applicants must be active faculty members of:<ul><li>Universities,</li><li>Islamic seminaries,</li><li>Or research institutions approved by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.</li></ul>Applicants should possess a relevant academic record in Islamic theoretical studies of AI. Those lacking direct expertise must collaborate with researchers knowledgeable in both AI and Islamic theoretical studies.<h3>Required Research Outputs</h3>Applicants must commit to delivering the following mandatory research outputs:<ul><li>One scholarly book presenting the project's theoretical framework, findings, and contributions.</li><li>Peer-reviewed research articles, including at least one of the following:<ul><li>Articles published in ISC-indexed academic journals; and/or</li><li>Articles published in reputable international journals indexed in recognized citation databases such as JCR, ISI (Web of Science), or Scopus.</li></ul></li></ul>Researchers may also propose additional outputs—such as policy briefs, educational materials, digital resources, conference presentations, or other scholarly products—where appropriate to the objectives and scope of the project. Such outputs will be evaluated based on their relevance, quality, and potential impact.<h2>Research Requirements</h2>To ensure focused and impactful work, proposals should be:<ul><li>Theory-building and innovative,</li><li>Addressing specific theoretical problems in AI,</li><li>Problem-oriented rather than overly broad,</li><li>Grounded in a thorough review of prior research.</li></ul><h2>Timeline</h2><ul><li>Call Opens: June 7, 2026&nbsp;</li><li>Submission Deadline: August 7, 2026&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Funding</h2>The foundation will provide support of up to 1.5 times the amount of standard research grants, with a maximum funding level of approximately 375 million Iranian tomans.Final funding decisions will depend on factors such as:<ul><li>Originality of the topic,</li><li>Limited prior research,</li><li>Number of collaborators,</li><li>Diversity of outputs,</li><li>Scope of commitments and deliverables.</li></ul><h2>Application Process</h2>Researchers must apply through the foundation’s Kayper online system (https://rtms.insf.org/ ) . Applicants who do not already have a profile must first register and then log in using their email address and assigned password.After logging in, applicants can select the special call “Religious Sciences and Knowledge: AI Studies” from the “Submit New Proposal” section and upload their research proposal.Questions regarding submission procedures, eligibility, or scientific content may be submitted through the ticketing system within the applicant’s Kayper profile to the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts Program Working Group.&nbsp;<a href="https://rtms.insf.org/">https://rtms.insf.org/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Faculty members can apply for a special research grant “Religious Sciences and Knowledge: Islamic Theoretical Studies on Artificial Intelligence”

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Call for Proposals For Research Grant in Religious Studies: Islamic Theoretical Studies on Artificial Intelligence

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emerging-technologies

digital-transformation

ai-strategy

vice-president-for-science,-technology,-and-the-knowledge-based-economy

Iran’s Vice President for Science, Technology, and the Knowledge-Based Economy emphasized the need to bring technology into the everyday lives of citizens and proposed five priority areas: AI-powered technology monitoring, intellectual property reform, technology-enabled spiritual well-being, transformation of science diplomacy, and addressing “technology poverty.” He also called for concentrating on practical projects with measurable outcomes to help solve national challenges.&nbsp;According to ISNA, during a joint meeting with Ali Akbar Rashad, President of the Islamic Culture and Thought Research Institute, Vice President Hossein Afshin stressed the importance of integrating technology into cultural and Islamic thought institutions. He stated that the participation of research centers focused on culture and Islamic thought in science and technology is highly valuable. According to Afshin, the difference between Iran and many other countries is that technology in those countries has become part of everyday life, whereas in Iran it remains largely confined to elites. He argued that technology cannot achieve genuine and sustainable growth until it reaches the broader public. Afshin also proposed defining a limited number of clear priorities rather than pursuing numerous large and scattered projects.<h3>1. Technology Monitoring Through Artificial Intelligence</h3>One of the key priorities, he said, is the creation of an intelligent science and technology monitoring system powered by AI. Afshin noted that the country’s main challenge today is not programming languages but data collection and organization. He emphasized that gathering and structuring both domestic and international data should be a major national priority and should be continuously pursued.<h3>2. Turning Intellectual Property into National Wealth</h3>Afshin highlighted the need to reform intellectual property (IP) policies, noting that the issue has also been discussed within the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. He said policymakers should assess whether legal reforms are necessary and, if so, use the capacities of the Iranian Parliament and the council to implement them.According to Afshin, intellectual property should be viewed as a national asset and source of wealth. Without appropriate management and regulatory mechanisms, however, it could become a liability. Referring to challenges in patent registration and intellectual property systems, he argued that some patents have become merely a means of obtaining academic benefits or trading research credits, rather than creating economic value. The goal, he said, should be to transform intellectual property into tangible wealth and economic growth. He encouraged the research institute to pursue intellectual property reform as a joint project with his office, emphasizing that its benefits would extend across generations.<h3>3. New Technologies for Spiritual Well-Being</h3>Afshin also discussed spiritual health, arguing that health should not be limited to physical well-being. He said psychological and spiritual well-being are equally important and that emerging technologies could be used to develop innovative solutions in this area. He described the field as one with significant potential for research and practical applications.<h3>4. Transforming Scientific and Technological Diplomacy</h3>Another priority highlighted by Afshin was the modernization of Iran’s international scientific and technological relations. He argued that the post-war global environment will require stronger and more effective international engagement. In many cases, he said, international cooperation has been pursued without sufficient cultural preparation within society, making a new approach necessary.<h3>5. Tackling “Technology Poverty”</h3>Afshin introduced the concept of “technology poverty” as a major emerging challenge. He explained that while economic inequality between nations was once the primary concern, technological inequality is now becoming an even greater threat. According to him, the widening technology gap could prove more dangerous than the wealth gap itself. To reduce this divide, he proposed making technology more affordable and expanding collaborative technological partnerships between countries.<h3>Moving Toward Implementation</h3>In his concluding remarks, Afshin stressed the importance of holding regular joint meetings with organizations responsible for international scientific and technological cooperation, as well as various departments within the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology. The goal, he said, is to ensure that these proposals are translated into concrete actions and measurable results for the country.&nbsp; https://www.isna.ir/news/1405031709499/نسخه-افشین-برای-آینده-فناوری-ایران-تمرکز-بر-۵-موضوع-کلیدی

Iran’s Vice President emphasis for concentrating on practical projects with measurable outcomes to help solve national challenges.

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Vice President for Science, Technology, and the Knowledge-Based Economy Outlines Vision for Iran

ai-skills-development

digital-literacy

The Director General of the Office for Upper Secondary Education at Iran’s Ministry of Education announced that free education in artificial intelligence and programming will be provided to all high school students, along with numerous rewards. He described the initiative as a practical step toward achieving educational equity and developing a skilled future workforce.&nbsp;According to ISNA news agency, Ebrahim Rafiei stated at a meeting of leading provincial specialized working groups for the National Digital Skills Program that, under Article 66 of Iran’s Seventh Five-Year Development Plan, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology are required to expand digital education. He explained that the program targets two main groups: government employees, including teachers, and students, who represent the country’s future productive workforce.&nbsp;Rafiei noted that while digital skills had previously been addressed to some extent through the Technology course in lower secondary school, more comprehensive and structured training was needed. Following coordination among ministers and deputy ministers, an institution was appointed by the Ministry of ICT to implement the courses. Beginning in September, the project focused on introducing teachers to digital skills.&nbsp;He explained that the initial goal was to familiarize the program’s instructors and promoters with the content. During this phase, a general AI course was delivered through the Shad educational network, attracting nearly 180,000 participants, primarily educators. According to Rafiei, from September to February the primary focus was teacher training, while student training began in February. Students did not receive instruction through general online platforms; instead, they used a dedicated digital-skills platform that was available both online and offline and was supported by educational resource packages.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rafiei also described a spring initiative that ran from April until May 24 (the anniversary of the Liberation of Khorramshahr). During this program, outstanding students, schools, and active districts were recognized each week. A second phase, called the “Eidiyeh” (Holiday Gift) program, has now begun:&nbsp;<ul><li>71,000 teachers completed the foundational training through the Shad network.</li><li>179,000 teachers joined the channel providing the courses.</li><li>38,000 students are actively participating.</li><li>2,100 teachers and 5,000 students are currently being monitored for progress.</li><li>1,520 teachers and 80,600 students have completed Python programming training.</li></ul>Rafiei said that the next phase will emphasize deeper, project-based learning. Students and teachers will be assigned practical projects, since the program is not intended to remain purely theoretical. Participants who successfully complete their projects will advance to subsequent stages. In the summer, in-person training sessions will begin and will be hosted at educational research centers.&nbsp;He also announced a national festival for top participants in the fourth stage of the program. Approximately 3,000 teachers from earlier rounds will be narrowed down to 300 final award-winning teachers, while 1,000 outstanding students will be selected. These students will reach a level of AI expertise qualifying them as mentors, capable of teaching others at regional and national levels. This approach is intended to make the program self-sustaining, enabling the education system to rely on trained participants as future instructors.&nbsp;Rafiei stated that students who achieve national-level excellence will be introduced to private and public institutions as highly capable candidates for employment. He highlighted the role of private-sector organizations recommended by the Ministry of ICT and described the initiative as one of the strategic programs of the Office for Upper Secondary Education. The first implementation phase will take place this summer and is expected to continue in future years.Discussing the program’s broader goals, Rafiei said:<blockquote>“The aim is that any student entering any type of high school in Iran can receive this training completely free of charge, participate in a scientific competition, and earn increasingly valuable rewards as they progress. With sufficient skills, they may even work as teachers or instructors in this field in the private sector.”</blockquote>He emphasized that skills development and educational equity are the program’s primary objectives, achieved through collaboration between the Ministries of Education and Communications, with support from the private sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Iran to provide free education in artificial intelligence and programming to all high school students

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Free AI and Programming Education for High School Students

data-management

ai-infrastructure

national-data-platform

Tehran (IRNA)– The CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Holding of the Mostazafan Foundation announced that the holding has successfully obtained a National Data Operator license from the government’s AI Development Headquarters, becoming the first organization in the country to do so.&nbsp;According to IRNA, citing the Department of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, Mehdi Rouhani-Nejad stated that the National Data Operator license was approved by the government’s AI Headquarters in the final months of the previous Iranian calendar year and officially issued earlier this year.&nbsp;Explaining the role of a national data operator, Rouhani-Nejad said its primary responsibility is to create an AI-driven platform for comprehensive data management and analysis. The platform will be capable of collecting, cleaning, and standardizing diverse, heterogeneous, and large-scale datasets from various sources. It will then employ intelligent models to analyze data, extract actionable insights, automate processes, and develop smart agents.&nbsp;He added that since data held by government agencies, public institutions, and major industries is often fragmented and decentralized, the platform has been specifically designed to collect, aggregate, and integrate these datasets. The system will also ensure security and privacy while facilitating secure data sharing among organizations—enabling managers to make decisions based on up-to-date information and comprehensive AI-powered analytics.&nbsp;The CEO emphasized that data-driven decision-making, the creation of a data marketplace, and the intelligent transformation of industries are among the core objectives behind launching the data operator within Sina Smart Holding.&nbsp;Rouhani-Nejad further noted that in addition to the National Data Operator license, a National Data Marketplace license has also been issued. This marketplace will allow different organizations to share data in full compliance with security standards, helping to automate and modernize processes across various sectors. All data transfers will be conducted strictly in accordance with existing security protocols and standards.&nbsp;Referring to the priority sectors targeted by the Mostazafan Foundation, he said the foundation intends to deploy the platform in areas such as:<ul><li>Food security &nbsp;</li><li>Intelligent supply chain management &nbsp;</li><li>Multimodal transportation &nbsp;</li><li>Fraud detection and risk management &nbsp;</li><li>Industrial digital transformation and automation &nbsp;</li></ul>According to Rouhani-Nejad, in the field of food security, managers will be able to more accurately monitor supply and demand for agricultural and livestock products, manage distribution and sales processes, and identify factors contributing to potential market imbalances.&nbsp;Regarding the required investment, he stated that preliminary estimates indicate approximately 3,000 billion tomans will be needed to complete the platform.&nbsp;The CEO also noted that various components of the platform are currently being developed by subsidiaries of the holding company, and some operator services are already available to companies affiliated with the foundation. Based on current plans, the full range of the operator’s services is expected to be launched within the next year.&nbsp;&nbsp; https://www.irna.ir/news/86175010/هلدینگ-هوشمند-سینا-نخستین-اپراتور-ملی-داده-کشور-شد

CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Holding of the Mostazafan Foundation announced that the holding has successfully obtained a National Data Operator license