TEHRAN - The Young Scholars Club was established in the Iranian year 1366 (1987-1988) to promote and expand basic sciences in the country.

The Club is in charge of holding scientific Olympiads and preparing students to participate in international scientific competitions in different fields, such as mathematics, physics, literature, biology, computer science, chemistry, astronomy, and astrophysics.

In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times, Reza Hosseini, the head of the Young Scholars Club, elaborated on achievements over the past years, noting that the young and talented Iranian students are a source of honor for the country. In his opinion, the Young Scholars Club has materialized the goals of scientific diplomacy and superiority for the country.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

It is a source of honor that Iran is one of the top ten countries in international Olympiads. At the International Astrology and Astrophysics Olympiad, we ranked first with five gold medals for the second consecutive year. This is very significant and valuable.

In the International Biology Olympiad, we ranked third. In the International Economics Olympiad, we secured the best-ever rank of the country and gained the 18th position among 54 countries, while five years ago, the country ranked last but one. 

In the Artificial Intelligence Olympiad, the country ranked 8th. In the International Mathematics Olympiad, the country ranked 12th, seven steps higher than the past year. 

In the chemistry and physics Olympiads, Iranian students gained four silver medals and five silver medals, respectively.

Our talented youth have the ability to organize an event at the international level in which 73 countries participate under the banner of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Our scientific Olympiad elites are now active in educating young adults in almost 20 countries around the world. I mean, the members of their scientific Olympiad teams are being trained by our young elites. And this is a great source of honor.

This is done partly in person, as they are invited to different countries. For example, today one of our students has been invited to Saudi Arabia to train the national team of that country. And another part of the education is online. 

Now, 20 countries are using this capacity of our country. I'm really proud of it. It's very, very valuable that we have changed from a passive situation to an active and effective situation. We are now a very influential player in the world. 

For instance, we have organized an Olympiad in which even the Zionist regime had applied to participate, but Iranian youth removed them from the list.  And this is an example of the potential of the Iranian talented youth, who, if they are encouraged, can achieve great things. 

Alongside this, this year, a number of our students organized and held the Iranian Geometry Olympiad. This Olympiad, with the attendance of 10,000 people, has been held simultaneously in 52 countries and more than 200 cities around the world. 

We are in a scientific diplomacy environment where we have a huge impact on a large number of countries in the world. And this is great. I am proud of the fact that our country is among the top 10 countries in the world in this regard. And thanks God, some of the scientific competitions that we hold are among the top 10 events in the world.

And this is very valuable, and I hope this will be a start so that in the near future, we will be able to turn into one of the top 10 countries in different industries. Our universities should be among the top 10 universities in the world. 

If there is support, if the conditions are favorable, and this is an important issue. Of course, we hosted international Olympiads over the past years.  Last year, we hosted the International Physics Olympiad. In 2017 and 2018, we hosted computer and biology Olympiads. In 2009, we hosted the astrology and astrophysics Olympiads. In 2007, we also hosted the International Physics Olympiads. 

And it was a difficult task to organize these events. And being the host of many countries and organizing the Olympiads is a very valuable thing. And it will have a great positive effect on how other countries see us.

This issue will change the false and untrue image of Western media about our country. When they see it, they take it very seriously, and this is very valuable. It is interesting to note, when we were named to host the International Physics Olympiad, a large number of countries, especially European countries, tried to take this opportunity from Iran with various excuses, including that Iran is not safe, that Iran has no capability, and things like that. 

But, thanks God, our scientific committee started diplomacy with other countries and took preemptive measures so that Iran managed to host the event. Although a few countries did not attend, the 2024 International Physics Olympiad was held in Iran with 46 countries. 

And we took this competition and held it in the city of Isfahan, to show the historical, civilizational, and cultural heritage of Iran and prove that we have always been a great nation with a long history, and a defender of peace.

Apart from the fact that we are proud of being a world-class team in the Olympiads, a good thing that has happened is that the Young Scholars Club is trying to become the center of education and training for young people in the world. 

Well, the Club has the potential to provide the conditions to have an impact on the rest of the world. We can be the ones to teach them and to define the policies that they accept. Maybe a person who reads this from the outside doesn't see this as a possibility, but the reality is that this kind of capability exists in our young and talented students. 

When we rank first in international Olympiads, this shows that we have the potential to be influential in the world in this area. Well, when we are among the best countries in the world, and no country in the region is close to us, this shows that we must be able to play a bigger role in the region in the training of talented youth. 

And there is always a place for this topic. Thanks God, an international Olympiad was held in the country with the title of Combinatorics Olympiad. It is an Olympiad that has been designed by Iranian elites. And the rest of the countries have to apply to participate in this Olympiad. And it is very interesting to note that 73 countries have applied to participate in this Olympiad this year.