Iran’s Technology and Innovation Ranking: UNCTAD Places Nation at 72nd Spot
According to the latest findings in the Technology and Innovation Report 2025 published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Iran has achieved notable progress as an upper middle-income country, now ranking 72nd among 166 nations. This marks an improvement of one position compared to its 2022 ranking.
UNCTAD has identified 17 frontier technologies that are transforming industries and economies worldwide. These include:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Big Data
- 5G Technology
- 3D Printing
- Robotics
- Drone Technology
- Solar Photovoltaic
- Concentrated Solar Power
- Biofuels
- Biogas and Biomass
- Wind Energy
- Green Hydrogen
- Electric Vehicles
- Nanotechnology
- Gene Editing
The Technology and Innovation Report 2025 emphasizes the need for inclusive artificial intelligence development that prioritizes people and promotes global cooperation. The report outlines three essential leverage points for success:
- Infrastructure
- Data
- Skills
This comprehensive perspective on AI addresses the necessary requirements and policies to enhance sustainable industrialization and innovation. Notably, Iran excels in the sub-index for research and development, where it ranks 35th globally. However, its standings in other areas have varied:
- Finance Sub-index: Improved from 62nd in 2022 to 56th in 2025.
- Skills Sub-index: Decreased from 74th in 2022 to 82nd in 2025.
- Information and Communication Technology Sub-index: Dropped from 78th in 2022 to 94th in 2025.
In addition, the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024 report reveals that Iran’s position in knowledge and technology output, as well as business sophistication, has improved significantly. The rankings are as follows:
- Knowledge Output: Improved from 55th in 2023 to 49th in 2024.
- Business Sophistication: Improved from 117th in 2023 to 110th in 2024.
- Market Sophistication: Rose from 19th in 2023 to 17th in 2024.
- Infrastructure: Improved from 97th in 2023 to 95th in 2024.
Despite these advancements, Iran’s rankings in creative output, human resources, and institutional capacity have seen a decline compared to previous years. The Global Innovation Index serves as a benchmark for evaluating the innovation capabilities of leading economies worldwide.
In the context of Central and Southern Asia, Iran stands firm in second place, maintaining its position from the previous two years, with India and Kazakhstan leading in first and third places, respectively. Among the 38 countries categorized as lower-middle-income economies, Iran has improved its ranking from 6th in 2023 to 5th in 2024.
However, when considering the overall performance among the 133 economies featured in the GII 2024, Iran’s ranking has slightly declined from 62nd in 2023 to 64th this year. Switzerland continues to dominate the GII 2024 rankings, securing the top position for the 14th consecutive year with a score of 67.5, followed closely by Sweden and the United States, which scored 64.5 and 62.4, respectively.
The report indicates that over the last four years (2020-2024), Iran’s ranking fluctuates within a statistical confidence interval between 56 and 80. In 2024, Iran demonstrated better performance in innovation outputs (48) compared to innovation inputs (85).
Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the report highlights Iran’s leading position in market capitalization and trademarks by origin, showcasing its potential in innovation and economic development.
