How decades of strategic planning propelled Iran to frontline of global nanotech revolution

By Ivan Kesic

Iran’s nanotechnology sector has reached a major milestone, with official reports confirming that exports of nano-enabled products have climbed to an impressive $183 million, marking the transformation of a once-nascent field into a key contributor to the national economy.

This achievement is the culmination of a two-decade strategic effort to build a knowledge-based ecosystem, turning scientific prowess into tangible economic gains.

The figure represents far more than a financial statistic; it stands as a testament to the knowledge, innovation, and perseverance of a nation that has systematically developed its technological capabilities from the ground up.

Behind this number are 1,735 distinct nano products, 400 active companies, and a robust domestic market valued at 972 trillion rials, with Iranian products now reaching 63 countries worldwide.

This success story began with a national vision to harness nanotechnology as a common language for transforming industry, health, environment, and energy, evolving from theoretical research into a powerful engine for wealth creation and international trade.

Defying economic challenges, the sector’s steady growth reflects a profound shift from scientific ambition to commercial reality, positioning Iran not merely as a participant but as an emerging leader in the global nanotechnology arena.

A trajectory of exponential growth

The journey to $183 million in nanotechnology exports is marked by a pattern of explosive yet sustained growth, underscoring the effectiveness of Iran’s long-term strategic planning and investment in this cutting-edge field.

The evolution of the sector tells a story of steady, upward momentum. Just over a decade ago, during the Iranian calendar year ending March 2016, nano-product exports stood at $35 million.

Even then, the figure was considered a milestone, representing a twentyfold increase in nanotechnology-driven economic gains over the preceding four years. The momentum continued uninterrupted, with exports doubling to $114.5 million by 2023.

The most recent figure of $183 million represents a continuation of this steep growth trajectory, highlighting the sector’s rising global competitiveness and the expanding international demand for Iranian nano-enabled products and solutions.

This export surge has been mirrored, and in many ways propelled, by an equally impressive expansion of the domestic market. Between September 2024 and September 2025, domestic nano-related sales soared by 102%, reaching 618,890 billion rials (approximately $1.23 billion).

This doubling of the domestic market in just one year signals a powerful and accelerating adoption of nanotechnology across Iran’s industries. The market is notably diverse, led by nano-coatings and construction materials, with strong growth in healthcare, industrial equipment, and environmental technologies.

Such internal market vitality provides a solid foundation for innovation and scale, enabling companies to refine products at home before expanding confidently into global markets.

Together, the combination of a booming domestic ecosystem and rapidly expanding exports paints the picture of a sector that has successfully navigated the path from research and development to full-scale commercialization and global integration.

Architecture of Iran's nanotechnology development

Iran’s ascent in the field of nanotechnology is no coincidence, but the outcome of a deliberate, well-structured national strategy conceived and executed at the highest levels of government.

The pivotal moment came in the early 2000s with the establishment of the Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council (INIC), operating under the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy.

This centralized authority was entrusted with a clear mandate – to coordinate a unified development roadmap spanning the entire value chain, from education and research to commercialization.

The first National Strategic Plan, approved in 2006, set an ambitious objective: to position Iran among the world’s top 15 nations in nanotechnology. That goal has not only been achieved but surpassed, reflecting the strength and continuity of Iran’s policy approach.

This long-term, stable framework, reinforced by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s emphasis on “accurate planning” and “stability in management,” provided the consistency essential for nurturing a long-gestation technology such as nanotechnology.

A cornerstone of this strategy has been the systematic cultivation of human capital. Recognizing that no technological revolution can succeed without a skilled and motivated workforce, Iran launched comprehensive programs to spark interest in nanotechnology from an early age.

Through the NanoClub network, more than 1.2 million high school students have been introduced to nanoscience principles through workshops, competitions, and festivals.

A network of 148 educational laboratories, equipped with instruments developed by Iranian companies, provides students with hands-on experience.

This educational pipeline extends seamlessly into higher education, where nearly 49,000 nanotechnology-related theses and research projects have been completed.

Complementary initiatives such as the National Nano Competition and the entrepreneurial “Karno” program channel academic work toward applied, problem-solving projects, effectively bridging the gap between the laboratory and the marketplace.

Together, these multi-tiered educational initiatives have produced a deep reservoir of skilled talent that fuels Iran’s ongoing research, innovation, and industrial progress.

Equally noteworthy is Iran’s leadership in the critical yet often overlooked domains of standardization and nanosafety. Acknowledging that global market access hinges on internationally recognized standards and safety assurances, Iran established its mirror committee for ISO Technical Committee 229 on nanotechnology in 2006.

This proactive engagement has placed Iran at the forefront of global norm-setting in this domain. The country now ranks third worldwide in the number of national nanotechnology standards, with 182 standards developed to date, and fourth globally in international standards leadership, having spearheaded the creation of 12 ISO international standards.

Such active participation in shaping the global regulatory framework not only eases the export of Iranian nano-products, ensuring compliance with international benchmarks, but also positions Iran as a credible and responsible leader within the global nanotechnology community.

Diverse portfolio of innovative nanoproducts

The strength of Iran’s nanotechnology sector is reflected in its expansive and fast-growing portfolio of over 1,735 registered nano-products, each making a tangible impact on the country’s economy and society.

Spanning a wide range of industries, this portfolio illustrates the cross-cutting power of nanotechnology to transform diverse sectors. In healthcare, nanotechnology has fostered a market valued at 11 trillion rials, with advanced drug delivery systems accounting for 40 percent of that total.

Iranian researchers have developed sophisticated nanocarriers that deliver drugs directly to targeted tissues, such as tumors, while minimizing harm to healthy cells.

This innovation has enabled the domestic production of critical nanodrugs, including Cynadoxosome, Paclinib, and Padinex for cancer treatment, significantly reducing reliance on costly imports and expanding patient access to advanced therapies.

The healthcare segment is broadly divided into prevention (51 percent), treatment (45 percent), and diagnosis (4 percent), reflecting a holistic approach to leveraging nanotechnology for public health advancement.

Beyond medicine, Iranian nanotechnology is driving breakthroughs across industrial and environmental sectors. A notable example is the development of a granular nano-adsorbent capable of removing arsenic from drinking water with three times the efficiency of comparable international products, an innovation with both domestic and global significance.

In the energy sector, Iranian companies have engineered graphene-reinforced lead-acid batteries that offer higher energy density and longer life cycles, providing competitive solutions for energy storage applications.

The construction industry has also emerged as a major adopter, with nano-coatings for insulation, self-cleaning surfaces, and reinforced materials capturing a significant share of the domestic market.

These applications are not merely replicating existing technologies; they often introduce substantial performance improvements. For instance, slow-release nanofertilizers have contributed to a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption and a 12 percent increase in greenhouse productivity within the agricultural sector.

The cumulative economic impact of domestic nano-production has been profound. Between 2015 and 2023, Iran saved an estimated $854 million in foreign currency by substituting imported goods with locally produced nanocatalysts, industrial filters, and other nano-enabled products.

Iran's commanding global standing

Iran’s systematic and sustained investment in nanotechnology has propelled it to a position of global influence, a status reflected across both scientific and industrial rankings.

In the realm of research, Iran has firmly established itself as a world leader in nanoscience. In 2024, with 10,860 nanotechnology papers indexed in the Web of Science, Iran ranked 6th globally in nano-scientific output. This represents 4.2 percent of total global publications in the field and an impressive 18.5% share of Iran’s total scientific output across all disciplines.

The quality of this research is also on the rise. A total of 4,615 of these papers appeared in Q1 (top-tier) journals, underscoring both academic rigor and international visibility. Over a five-year period, Iran also achieved 12th place globally in the nanotechnology h-index, a metric combining productivity and citation impact.

Perhaps the most striking indicator of national focus is Iran’s first-place global ranking in “nano publications per GDP” – a testament to the country’s exceptional commitment to this field relative to the size of its economy.

Crucially, this scientific leadership has translated into industrial and innovative strength. The presence of over 400 active nano-companies and 1,735 registered products highlights a dynamic ecosystem that effectively converts research into commercial value.

Iran’s growing patent portfolio further reflects this transition from knowledge to innovation. Nanotechnology patents now account for 19% of all national patents, with 364 Iranian nano patents registered in the United States and Europe, clear evidence of international competitiveness.

The country is not merely improving upon existing technologies but pioneering new frontiers. Notable examples include Technetium-99m Tilmanocept, a radiopharmaceutical for highly precise lymph node imaging in oncology, and therapeutic nanobubbles capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, offering a potential breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Today, Iranian nano-products are exported to more than 50 countries, reaching diverse markets such as Iraq, Syria, India, South Korea, and Russia.

This expanding export footprint, combined with Iran’s leadership in international standardization and top-tier scientific standing, paints a compelling picture of a nation that has firmly established itself as a global hub for nanotechnology and is poised to play an increasingly influential role in shaping the future of this transformative field.

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