Iran Sees 8% Growth in Top 1% Most-Cited Global Researchers, ISC Reports

Tehran, (January 27, 2026) – The number of Iranian researchers ranked among the world's top 1% most-cited scholars has increased by 8% over the past year, reaching a total of 1,144 individuals, according to a new detailed report from the Islamic World Science and Technology Monitoring and Citation Institute (ISC).

In an official communiqué addressed to the country's universities, research institutes, science and technology parks, and higher education centers, the ISC announced the release of its latest list of “Iranian Highly Cited Researchers” for the Persian year 1403 (March 2024 - March 2025). The report highlights a sustained, upward trend over the past decade in the number of Iranian academics achieving this prestigious international benchmark.

The ISC compiled the list by monitoring and extracting data from six consecutive announcements of the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database, covering researchers across 22 subject areas in science and social sciences.

The field distribution reveals a strong focus on applied and medical sciences:

• Clinical Medicine leads with 28.70% of the researchers.
• Pharmacology & Toxicology follows with 14.06%.
• Engineering holds the third position with 10.46%.

“The list of Iranian Highly Cited Researchers in the top 1% globally is also available for viewing on the website https://hcr.isc.ac,” the ISC stated in its letter. The institution has requested that any discrepancies in names or rankings be reported with supporting documentation for verification.

The report underscores Iran's growing contribution to high-impact global research.

“It is hoped that with the expansion of activities by the country's researchers and scientists towards scientific and technological leadership, we will witness the enhancement of the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the international level,” wrote Mohammad Mehdi Alivanmehr, Head of the ISC Office, in the letter.

Access to other reports published by the ISC is available at: https://isc.ac/fa/page/257/

This annual recognition is a key indicator of research influence, as the top 1% of cited papers in a field are considered to be among the most significant and impactful. The consistent growth in Iran’s representation suggests a strengthening of the nation’s research output and its visibility on the world stage.