Students from Iran sweep gold at world astronomy Olympiad in India
Iran’s national astronomy team clinched five gold medals at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in India, winning the world title for the second year running, the country’s education ministry said.
The contest, hosted in Mumbai from Aug. 11 to 21, drew more than 300 high school students from 64 nations. Iran’s five-member team – Ali Naderi, Hossein Masoumi, Hirbod Foodazi, Arshia Mirshamsi Kakhaki and Hossein Soltani – notched up a clean sweep, taking every gold medal on offer, IRNA reported.
President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated the group on Friday, calling the win “proof” that Iran’s younger generation can shine on the world stage.
“This inspiring victory, achieved through the round-the-clock efforts of our talented youth, shows they can raise the flag of Iran to the highest peaks of progress and honor,” he said in a statement.
Hossein Afshin, vice president for science and head of the National Elites Foundation, hailed the success as a lasting symbol of the nation’s scientific potential.
He described the students’ achievements as “a bright and enduring honor” and pledged full backing for gifted Iranians competing globally.
The Young Scholars Club, which trains students for international Olympiads, also praised the victory, saying the medals were “a source of pride and hope” for Iran’s scientific future. Founded in 1995 under the ministry of education, the academic body organizes national contests in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, astronomy and literature.