Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
4
Department of Higher Education, Research and Technology, Office of Education and Culture Studies, Islamic Consultative Assembly Research Center (Parliament Research Center), Tehran, Iran
5
Department of Phytochemistry Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22091/apss.2026.17078.1120
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to provide a policy-oriented analysis of Iran's scientific position in global competition based on scientometric evidence and to identify policy strategies for achieving the objectives of the Seventh National Development Plan.
Methods: This applied research is analytical-policy in nature and employed a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were obtained from Scopus, SciVal, and official reports of the Institute for Research and Planning in Science and Technology (ISC), based on data available up to May 2026. The analysis covered scientific output, global ranking, publication quality, international collaboration, university–industry collaboration, and other selected scientometric indicators for Iran and selected comparator countries during 2024 and 2025. The qualitative phase incorporated document analysis, comparative analysis, gap analysis, and policy scenario planning to interpret the findings and formulate policy recommendations.
Findings: The results showed that Iran ranked 18th globally in 2025 with 78,905 scientific publications. Compared with 77,210 publications in 2024, the country's scientific output increased by 2.19%. Despite this growth, Iran's global scientific position remained under pressure due to the rapid advancement of competing countries, highlighting the need to consider complementary scientometric indicators for a more comprehensive assessment of the country's scientific performance and competitiveness. In addition, 454 Iranian journals indexed in Scopus published approximately 25,000 articles in 2024, of which nearly 15,000 were attributed to Iranian institutional affiliations. Iran's share of the world's top 10% most-cited publications was 11.1%, while publications in the top 10% journals accounted for 19.4%. International collaboration represented 32.5% of the country's scientific output, whereas university–industry collaboration remained limited to 0.7%. Scenario analysis further indicated that achieving the 14th global rank would require approximately 93,000, 101,000, and 105,000 publications under optimistic, realistic, and conservative scenarios, respectively.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the principal challenge facing Iran's science, technology, and innovation system is not merely a decline in publication output but a relative loss of scientific competitiveness compared with competing countries. Achieving the objectives of the Seventh National Development Plan therefore requires a comprehensive policy framework focused on strengthening indexed national journals, improving publication quality, expanding strategic international collaboration, enhancing university–industry linkages, improving scientific data governance, and implementing quality-oriented research evaluation and funding mechanisms
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