At the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held on July 15 and 16 in Shanghai, China, Iranian students won six awards: two gold, one silver, and three bronze.
According to IRIB, Alireza Junbakhsh-Najafabadi and Alireza Sharifi received gold medals. Amirhossein Taieb won a silver medal, while Arshe Azizeddine, Radin Nik-Ekbali, and Aryan Zandi secured bronze medals.
The IMO is a World Championship in mathematics for high school students and is held annually in a different country. The first tournament took place in 1959 in Romania with the participation of seven countries. Since then, the number of participating countries has grown to over 100 countries from five continents. The IMO Council monitors that the competitions are held every year and that the host country adheres to the rules and traditions of the Olympiad.
This year, over 1000 young mathematicians from more than 100 countries and regions participated in the competition. The Iranian team ranked among the top fifteen teams in the world. It is worth noting that previously, at the 66th IMO 2025, held from July 10 to 20 in Australia, Iran won two gold, three silver, and one bronze medal.
The six-member Iranian team also won at the fourth International Summer Mathematics Camp (IMSC), held in Beijing, China, from June 17 to July 12, demonstrating exceptional dedication and teamwork in mathematics. According to IRNA, Aryan Zandi, Arsha Azizeddine, Amirhossein Taieb, Alireza Sharifi, Radin Nik-Ekbali, and Ali Junbakhsh-Najafabadi won 4 gold and two silver medals, surpassing students from Poland and Brazil.
Approximately 58 teams from 46 countries and regions participated in the event, including 41 international teams and 17 teams from China, and the total number of students, teachers, and coaches from China and other countries exceeded 500 people. The program included over 340 IMO lectures, 15 demonstration lectures on IMO, 10 optional seminars, as well as practice tests and problem-solving sessions led by 20 experienced lecturers. Additionally, three special lectures were given by renowned mathematicians.
Iranian students also showed outstanding results in other disciplines. At the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), they won three gold medals and one silver, and at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)—three silver and one bronze.
The 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) took place from July 12 to 19 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Delegations from approximately 80 countries across five continents participated in this event. According to IRIB, Radin Bayani, Mohammad-Reza Vaezi, and Amir-Hossein Nosrati received gold medals, and Amir-Hossein Hemmati received a silver medal.
The 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2026) was held from July 10 to 19 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. More than 350 students from 90 countries participated in it. Ali Shamsi-Mofakhar, Mahyar Najjar, and Amir-Reza Hosseini won silver medals, and Aryo Seirafi won a bronze medal.
A five-member team of Iranian students achieved significant success at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), collecting three gold and two silver medals. IPhO 2026 took place from July 4 to 12 in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and gathered over 400 students from more than 90 countries, according to Javanonline.ir.
In the framework of the 2026 International Science Physics Olympiad, the Iranian team won two gold, one silver, and one bronze prize. Hirbod Fodazi placed first among all participants, earning the title of absolute winner due to the best result in the theoretical exam, as well as winning a gold medal and a national diamond. Amir-Sam Goharpay won another gold medal, while Kian Zarrabian and Mohammad Mirmohammadi received silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Four Iranian female students participated in the Open International Geography Olympiad (OpenGeo) 2026 and won four medals for the first time, including one silver and three bronze. Artina Heidari received the silver medal, while Setaeesh Haknazari, Sana Karbalai Vali, and Helia Hodabandelu were awarded bronze medals, according to IRIB.
The Iranian team in the Physics Olympiad, consisting of five students, demonstrated outstanding results at the 2026 International Science Olympiad in Physics, winning two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal.
According to IRNA, Hirbod Fodazi took first place among all participants, becoming the absolute winner. He received a gold medal and a national diamond, showing the best result in the Theoretical Exam. Another gold medal was awarded to Amir-Sam Goharpay. Kian Zarrabian and Mohammad Mirmohammadi received silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The ISPhO-2026 Olympiad was held exclusively online from June 21 to June 30, 2026. All events were conducted on the official Olympiad website and included two types of tests: the Theoretical Exam, which contained three problems, one of which required elements of computer modeling, and the Experimental Exam, where participants worked with specialized software simulating experimental equipment and analyzed experimental data. The online experimental stage was entirely dedicated to data processing and computer modeling, providing participants with simulators for scientific equipment operation.
Each country could register a team of up to five people and two team leaders. All participants had to be under 20 years old as of July 31, 2026.
Furthermore, four Iranian female students participated in the Open International Geography Olympiad (OpenGeo) 2026 and won four awards for the first time, including one silver and three bronze medals. Artina Heidari received a silver medal, while Setaeesh Haknazari, Sana Karbalai Vali, and Gelia Hodabandelu won bronze medals, according to IRIB.
These achievements demonstrate the comprehensive competence of Iranian students in geography and are an important step in preparation for participation in the International Geography Olympiad (IGO). The goal of OpenGeo is to increase interest in geography among middle school students worldwide, develop analytical, practical, and geographical skills in schoolchildren and future geographers, and support international ties among young geographers.
The competition was organized by the Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Senior High School of Moscow State University, and the Primakov School. It took place online on June 20 and 21, gathering participants from 27 countries. Participants were students aged 14 to 19, attending middle school or planning to graduate in 2026. The competitions included a Written Test (WRT) lasting 2.5 hours, a Practical and Cartographic Exercise (PME) for 2.5 hours, and a Multimedia Test (MMT) for one hour.
According to Reza Hosseini, head of the Youth Club of Scientists, Iran ranks eighth in the world in terms of international olympiad results. Last year, the country ranked third, seventh, and eighth in the mathematics, computer, and physics olympiads, respectively, as quoted by IRNA in February. He added that many countries, such as China and the USA, as well as major global technology companies, maintain contact with the club to attract winners of Iranian olympiads.
Hosseini also noted that the country provides special opportunities for these gifted students. Gold winners can study their chosen fields at Iranian universities without needing to take entrance exams. Students who win gold at the International Biology Olympiad can study medicine, and laureates of the International Mathematics or Physics Olympiad can choose technical and engineering specialties. The club aims to improve the country's ranking in international olympiads, Hosseini emphasized.
