Pezeshkian hails Iran’s historic feat
Iran bags 3 golds, 2 silvers at World Physics Olympiad in Colombia
Iran's national Physics Olympiad team won three gold and two silver medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in Bucaramanga, Colombia, the Education Ministry announced on Sunday, as President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the students for showcasing the country's scientific excellence on one of the world's most competitive academic stages.
Held from July 4 to July 12, the annual competition brought together more than 400 high school students from over 90 countries to compete in rigorous theoretical and experimental physics examinations. Hirbod Foudazi, Kian Zarabian and Mohammad Mirmohammadi earned gold medals, while Nima Koushki and Amirsam Goharpey captured silver medals, delivering one of Iran's strongest performances in recent years, IRNA reported.
The achievement went beyond the medal count. Zarabian finished first worldwide in the experimental physics examination, becoming the first Iranian contestant to claim the top global ranking in that section of the Olympiad. The highest score in the theoretical examination was awarded to a student from South Korea.
In a message released after the results were announced, Pezeshkian called the outcome "another golden chapter" in Iran's scientific achievements and said the students had demonstrated “the scientific capability, outstanding talent and admirable perseverance of the nation's youth,” president.ir reported.
“Iran’s sons and daughters have once again proved that knowledge, hard work and hope open the way to distinguished success on the global stage,” the president said. He added that the accomplishment underscored the need to invest further in talented young people, strengthen quality education and provide equal opportunities for scientific growth.
The International Physics Olympiad is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious science competitions, testing participants through two demanding five-hour examinations in theoretical and experimental physics designed to assess analytical thinking, scientific creativity and problem-solving skills.
Iran's latest success also marked an improvement on its performance at the 2025 IPhO in Australia, where the national team collected two gold, three silver and one bronze medal to finish 12th overall.
The result extends a strong run for Iranian students in international academic competitions. Earlier this month, Iran claimed the overall team championship at the International Mathematics Summer Camp in China after winning four gold and two silver medals, highlighting the continued success of the country's young scholars in global science Olympiads and reinforcing Iran's reputation for producing top-performing students in mathematics and physics.