Iran, achieving rank 81 in the Global Innovation Index 2026 report, has examined the state of innovation in 139 economies worldwide. In this report, 80 different indicators in the areas of institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market complexity, business complexity, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs have been evaluated.
Analysis of Iran's Rank
Amir Abbas Mohammadi Koushki, head of Iran's National Inventions and Innovations Team, announced that Iran has dropped 11 places to rank 81 in 2026 compared to rank 70 in 2025. These changes indicate a downward trend in Iran's innovation ranking since 2022. In recent years, Iran has been continuously changing its rank and has experienced gradual improvements from 2020 to 2025.
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Details of Economic and Innovation Status
In the 2026 report, Iran's population is calculated at 92.4 million, with a GDP based on purchasing power parity of $1,878.9 billion and a GDP per capita of $21,473.1. Iran also ranks 23rd among 35 upper-middle-income economies and 5th among 11 economies in the Central and South Asian region.
Mohammadi Koushki examined seven main areas in the Global Innovation Index and stated: Iran ranks 136th in institutions with a score of 14.6, 56th in human capital and research with a score of 36.1, and 91st in infrastructure with a score of 38.1. In terms of market and business complexity, Iran has achieved ranks 68 and 111, respectively.
He added: In the knowledge and technology outputs section, Iran ranks 54th with a score of 25.6, and in creative outputs, it ranks 64th with a score of 26.3. Iran's highest positions among these seven areas relate to knowledge and technology outputs, human capital and research, creative outputs, and market complexity.
Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation
Mohammadi Koushki also pointed to existing problems in the institutional environment, stating that Iran ranks 135th and 117th in the sub-indices of business operational stability and government effectiveness, respectively. This indicates serious challenges in Iran's business environment that could negatively affect the innovation and economic development process.
Regarding higher education, Iran has a score of 44.5 and ranks 26th, while the enrollment rate in higher education and the share of graduates in science and engineering face ranks of 57 and 9, respectively. These statistics indicate that education and research in Iran are relatively in good condition, but there is a need for improvement in infrastructure and supportive policies to strengthen innovation.
Ultimately, considering recent changes and existing challenges, appropriate solutions and policies can help improve Iran's position in these indices and pave the way for sustainable development in the field of innovation and technology.
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