Iran to launch six national reference laboratories

Six national reference laboratories will be established in Iranian universities by the end of this year, according to the country’s Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.

Hossein Afshin noted that the laboratories will serve not only academic institutions but also knowledge-based companies and industrial sectors.

The announcement followed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the vice presidency and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

The initiative aims to strengthen the country’s research and technology infrastructure by connecting the new laboratories to a national network.

Afshin highlighted the broader strategy to enhance Iran’s knowledge-based economy, noting that around 14,000 companies have been registered as knowledge-based, with about 10,000 currently active.

He emphasized that future growth should focus on product quality and innovation rather than numerical expansion, in line with the national target of 30,000 cumulative companies.

At present, he said, nearly 18,000 knowledge-based products are produced domestically.

Citing past experience, Afshin said that investments in universities and scientific infrastructure in the 2000s and 2010s paid off years later.

He expressed confidence that with continued support for researchers and educators, Iran could witness renewed scientific growth within five years.