Over 2,770 Iranian Scholars Ranked Among the World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Researchers!

Over 2,770 Iranian Scholars Ranked Among the World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Researchers!

In a remarkable achievement for the scientific community, Stanford University, in collaboration with Elsevier, has recognized a total of 2,772 Iranian researchers as part of the top two percent of the most-cited scientists worldwide. This prestigious annual list is based on the career-long impact of these scientists, reflecting their contributions to various fields of study.

This comprehensive analysis utilizes data from Scopus, with the latest snapshot taken in August 2025, and updated to include citation information up to the end of 2024. The methodology employed in this evaluation categorizes scientists into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields, adhering to the standard Science-Metrix classification.

Understanding the Ranking Criteria

The selection process for this prestigious list is based on a series of criteria that highlight a scientist’s impact over their career:

  • Top 100,000 Scientists: Selected based on their composite score (c-score), considering both self-citations and total citations.
  • Percentile Rank: Scientists must achieve a rank of 2 percent or above in their respective sub-fields.
  • Career-long Assessment: This captures the cumulative research influence of a scientist up to the end of 2024.
  • Composite Citation Indicator (c-score): This combines various bibliometric metrics to assess a scientist’s sustained impact.

The c-score encompasses several essential metrics, including:

  • Total number of citations (NC)
  • H-index (H)
  • Co-authorship-adjusted hm-index
  • Citations to single-author papers (NCS)
  • Citations to single or first-author papers (NCSF)
  • Citations to single, first, or last-author papers (NCFSL)

Growth in Iranian Scientific Contributions

The international data reveals a noteworthy upward trend in the presence of Iranian researchers on the top two percent list, indicating a significant enhancement in the quality of the nation’s scientific output. According to Peyman Salehi, the deputy science minister, the updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators reported on September 19 that:

  • The number of Iranian researchers achieving high citations in the one-year performance index rose from 2,326 in 1403 (2024-2025) to 2,533 in 1404 (2025-2026).
  • This increase of 207 researchers marks a clear improvement in the quality and impact of scientific research in Iran.

The medical field leads in one-year performance, with a total of 853 researchers, while the engineering field tops the career-long performance index with 287 researchers. Furthermore, the career-long index has also seen growth, with numbers climbing from 1,018 in 1403 to 1,021 in 1404.

Recent Achievements and Rankings

According to a five-year trend analysis, Iran has made considerable strides, increasing from 433 researchers in 1399 to the current figures. The recent report emphasized that the citations received during the year 2024 were crucial for the latest rankings, showcasing the ongoing scientific impact and knowledge production abilities of Iranian researchers.

Additionally, the 2024 edition of the Nature Index Research Leaders report has ranked Iran 32nd among global research leaders, with particular strengths noted in multiple fields:

  • 2nd in Physical Sciences
  • 3rd in Chemistry and Health Sciences
  • 4th in Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • 5th in Biological Sciences

In terms of global rankings, Iran’s best performance is in Physical Sciences, where it holds the 27th position. The Nature Index serves as an open database, tracking contributions to high-quality research articles in the natural and health sciences, chosen for their reputation by an independent panel of experts.

Recognition of Iranian Researchers

In 2024, an impressive 1,056 Iranian researchers were acknowledged as part of the world’s top one percent most-cited researchers, marking a 12 percent increase from 938 in 2023. Ahmad Fazelzadeh, head of the Islamic World Science Citation (ISC) Institute, highlighted the contributions of different ministries:

  • Ministry of Science, Research and Technology: 427 researchers (40.44 percent)
  • Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education: 518 researchers (49.05 percent)

Fields such as clinical medicine, multidisciplinary studies, engineering, pharmacology, chemistry, and agricultural sciences represent the highest shares of most-cited researchers in Iran.

Future Aspirations

Despite facing ongoing sanctions, Iran aims to improve its global ranking in scientific production from its current position of 17th to 12th by 2027. Shahin Akhoundzadeh, a health ministry official, noted that various factors, including economic restrictions and limitations on publishing, have impacted the country’s scientific output. To achieve this ambitious goal, there is a crucial need for:

  • Increased funding for research initiatives
  • Facilitating scientific research
  • Promoting a meritocratic system to retain young talents

This comprehensive commitment to advancing science and technology is expected to foster a more robust research environment in Iran.

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