TEHRAN – The Iranian students have grabbed five gold medals at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), marking the country’s second consecutive world championship.

The event was held from August 11 to 21, in Mumbai, India, attracting over 300 high school students from 64 countries. During the event, students participated in several challenging exams covering theoretical, observational, and data analysis aspects of astronomy.

The five-member Iranian team comprised Ali Naderi Lordjani, Arshia Mirshamsi Kakhaki, Hossein Soltani, Hossein Masoumi, and Hirbod Foodazi. The first three students are placed atop the whole winners.

This remarkable achievement is the result of the students’ dedication, the support of their families, the tireless efforts of their coaches, and the solidarity of the country’s scientific community, which has once again raised Iran’s flag in the international arena, Pres TV quoted an statement by Iran’s ministry of education on Thursday.

In a congratulatory message to the team and the Iranian nation, the Young Scholars Club hailed the great accomplishment as a source of pride and hope for Iran’s scientific future, expressing optimism that such achievements would continue in international academic arenas.

The 17th IOAA was held last year from August 17 to 27 in Vassouras, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Over 250 students from 57 countries participated in the event; Iranian students won five gold medals, ranked first globally.

The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) is one of the twelve International Science Olympiads. Founded by five countries (Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, China, and Poland), its first edition took place in Thailand in 2007.

The main goal of the IOAA is to promote the growing interest in Astronomy and related STEM subjects, especially through the general education of young people, and enhancing the development of international contacts among different countries in promoting Astronomy and Astrophysics in schools. It is expected that, through events like the IOAA, more bright high-school students will be eager to study astronomy at the university level to become the next generation of astronomy and astrophysics professionals.

Recent  achievements

The Iranian participants at the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) in Ji’ning, China, grabbed four bronze medals.

Co-hosted by Ji’ning Confucius School, Shandong University of Science and Technology, the IESO took place from August 7th to 17th.

The team comprised Bardia Khalili, Parisa Sedqi, Fatemeh Hedayat Kakhaki, and Zahra Goudarzipour, Mehr news agency reported.

Iranian students won a gold medal, two silver medals, and a bronze medal at the 37th edition of the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) being held in Sucre, Bolivia.

The event kicked off on July 27 and will wrap up on August 3. A total of 330 contestants from 84 countries participated in this year’s event.

Amir-Ali Asgari secured the gold medal, Mani Zare and Hamed Ghafari grabbed silver medals, while Kiarash Rezaei won a bronze medal, ISNA reported.

Iran won two silver medals and two bronze medals at the Eighth International Economics Olympiad (IEO) 2025, which was held from July 20 to 29, in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This year, 68 countries participated in the IEO. Mohsen Payandeh-Peyman and Abolfazl Modir-Roosta won silver medals, while Parsa Sedaqat and Alireza Ahmadi secured bronze medals, IRNA reported.

Four Iranian students clinched three gold medals and a silver medal at the 36th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2025), ranking second among 81 countries, up from third in 2024.

Siavash Pezeshpour, Ali Soleimanzadeh Kalahroudi, and Ali-Akbar Nourollahi won the gold medals, while Radin Bayani secured the silver medal at the competition, which was held from July 19 to 27 in Quezon City, Philippines, PANA reported.

Five Iranian students secured silver medals at the 55th International Physics Olympiad, ranking 11th globally.

Held from July 18 to 24 in Paris, the IPhO 2025 brought together 440 candidates from over 90 countries.

Mohammad-Hassan Sadeqinejad Simaki, Arya Zarabi, Ilya Qashaee, Mohammah-Hassan Golabdar, and Milad Mohammadi won silver medals, IRIB reported.

Iran grabbed two gold medals, three silver medals, and a bronze medal at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO 2025), held from July 10-20 in Australia.

Bardia Khosh-Eqbal and Mehdi Aqajanloo grabbed gold medals, Mohammad-Reza Attaranzadeh, Mohammad-Sajad Memari, and Amir-Hossein Zarei secured silver medals, while Parsa Tajallaei won a bronze.

The team had ranked second in the 3rd International Mathematics Summer Camp (IMSC) held in Beijing, China, from June 20 to July 12, 2025.

Bardia Khosh-Eqbal grabbed a gold medal, Mehdi Aqajanloo, Parsa Tajallaei, Mohammad-Reza Attaranzadeh, and Mohammad-Sajad Memari won silver medals, and Amir-Hossein Zarei won a bronze medal, IRIB reported.

IMSC 2025 brought together over 300 people, including students and lecturers, from 32 countries such as Belarus, Belgium, Cameroon, Germany, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, the United States, Romania, Poland, and Uzbekistan.

MT/MG