News / Nuclear Energy

Iran frontrunner in quantum technology in West Asia: Nuclear chief

Tuesday, 13 April 2021 6:06 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 13 April 2021 8:05 AM ]

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi speaks during a ceremony inaugurating the National Center for Quantum Technologies in Tehran on April 12, 2021. (Photo by ISNA)

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has inaugurated a center for developing quantum technology, hailing the country's position as a pioneer in the field in the West Asia region.

Speaking to reporters at the ceremony to inaugurate the National Center for Quantum Technologies, Ali Akbar Salehi hailed Iranian experts for taking big strides toward the promotion of quantum technology, and said great efforts have been made to launch the laboratories at the center.

Although other countries such as the US, India and China have made fast progress in the area of quantum technology, Iran has been a “frontrunner” in the highly-important field in the West Africa region, Salehi said.

The technology, he added, is used for communication, computing, producing sensitive sensors and simulation of chemical processes.

“In 2016, the AEOI started studies in the field of quantum technology, and in 2019, it carried out very important experiments such as producing pairs of intertwined photons,” Salehi said. “We are moving fast in this area and also cooperating with a number of universities.”

On Saturday, the 15th anniversary of the National Nuclear Technology Day, Iran unveiled 133 new nuclear achievements made by the country’s experts in different areas of the nuclear industry, including quantum, enrichment, heavy water and deuterium compounds, radiopharmaceuticals, lasers, and etc.

Iran unveils 133 achievements on National Nuclear Technology Day

Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering that relies on the principles of quantum physics.

Major world countries have made huge investments in producing quantum computers, which not only will help the future users do things much faster or more efficiently, but will also pave the way for performing tasks that even the best supercomputers are not capable of.

Experts say the technology, which is in the very early stages of development, could bring about a revolution in the world by changing how medicine is produced, breaking encryption and transforming communications and artificial intelligence, or even managing climate change, among other things.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk