Iran wins medals at International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence

TEHRAN – Iranian students won a gold medal, two silver medals, and a bronze medal at the third edition of the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026), held from August 2-8 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

IOAI is the International Science Olympiad in AI for high school students. It aims to inspire young people globally in science, focusing on AI. The competition provides a platform for top AI students selected through national competitions to compete, exchange ideas, and build connections, fostering a dialogue on AI’s opportunities and ethical challenges among students and the community.

Shayan Rezaeizadeh grabbed the gold medal, Mohammad-Reza Darvishi, and Mohammad-Amin Nazmfar won the silver medals, while Mani Monjipor received the bronze medal, IRNA reported.

This year’s competition brought together over 120 teams, more than 500 students from 103 countries and territories around the world to compete in AI and machine learning (ML) challenges.

Each country participated with up to two teams of four students, guided by a team leader. The Olympiad tests skills in machine learning, data science, and AI problem-solving.

This year’s IOAI featured three main modules:

Individual Contest: Participants solved AI and ML problems individually, demonstrating personal expertise in algorithm design, model training, and data analysis.

Team Challenge: Teams collaborate on complex, multi-faceted AI problems that require coordination, diverse skills, and creative approaches.

Global AI Talent Empowerment (GAITE) Contest: This was a special simplified version of the Individual Contest. The tasks in the GAITE competition are similar to those in the Individual Contest. The key difference is that GAITE participants are allowed to ask for hints. The GAITE competition has a separate leader-board.

In 2025, the Iranian team, consisting of four high-school students, grabbed two silver medals and two bronze medals at the IOAI, held from August 2 to 9 in Beijing, China.

Arash Yousefnejad and Ali Shayan claimed the silver medals, while Parsa Golestani and Radin Rahmani-Nodehi won the bronze medals, IRIB reported.

Recent achievements

Iran grabbed two gold medals, one silver medal, and three bronze medals at the 67th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held on July 15 and 16 in Shanghai, China.

Alireza Joonbakhsh-Najafabadi and Alireza Sharifi won the gold medals, Amirhossein Tayyeb clinched the silver medal, and Arsha Azizeddin, Radin Nik-Eqbali, and Arian Zandi received the bronze medals, IRIB reported.

The IMO is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for high school students and is held annually in a different country. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with 7 countries participating. It has gradually expanded to over 100 countries from 5 continents. The IMO Board ensures that the competition takes place each year and that each host country observes the regulations and traditions of the IMO.

This year’s competition brought together over 1,000 young mathematicians from more than 100 countries and regions. The Iranian team is placed among the top 15 teams in the world.

Iranian students delivered an outstanding performance, clinching three gold medals and a silver medal at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), and three silver medals and a bronze medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).

The 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) took place from July 12 to 19 in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania. The event brought together participants from some 80 countries across five continents.

Radin Bayani, Mohammad-Reza Vaezi, and Amir-Hossein Nosrati grabbed gold medals, while Amir-Hossein Hemmati won the silver medal, IRIB reported.

The 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2026) was held from July 10 to 19 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Over 350 students from 90 countries attended the event.

Ali Shamsi-Mofakhar, Mahyar Najar, and Amir-Reza Hosseini secured silver medals, while Ario Seirafi won the bronze medal.

The five-member team of Iranian students has demonstrated a remarkable achievement, garnering three gold medals and two silver medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO).

Held from July 4 to 12 in Bucaramanga, Colombia, the IPhO 2026 brought together over 400 students from more than 90 countries, Javanonline.ir reported.

Hirbod Foudazi, Kian Zarrabian, and Mohammad Mirmohammadi secured gold medals, while Amir-Sam Goharpey and Nima Koushki won silver medals.

Iran’s Physics Olympiad team, consisting of five students, has achieved an astounding triumph at the International Scientific Physics Olympiad 2026, winning two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze.

Hirbod Foudazi was ranked first among all participants, receiving the title of absolute winner, achieving the best result in the Theoretical Exam, and grabbing the gold medal and the national diamond, IRNA reported.

Amir-Sam Goharpey won the other gold medal; Kian Zarrabian and Mohammad Mirmohammadi received a silver medal and a bronze medal, respectively.

Four Iranian female students attended the Open International Geography Olympiad (OpenGeo) 2026, winning four medals, including a silver medal and three bronze medals for the first time.

Artina Heidari won the silver medal; Setayesh Haqnazari, Sana Karbalaei Vali, and Helia Khodabandelou received the bronze medals, IRIB reported.

The six-member Iranian team has shown brilliance, claiming the championship at the fourth International Mathematics Summer Camp (IMSC) held in Beijing, China, from June 17 to July 12, demonstrating exceptional teamwork and dedication to mathematics.

Aryan Zandi, Arsha Azizoddin, Seyyed Amir-Hossein Tayeb, Alireza Sharifi, Radin Nik-Eqbali, and Ali Joonbakhsh Najafabadi won 4 gold medals and two silver medals, outperforming students from Poland and Brazil, IRNA reported.

This year’s event brought together 58 teams from 46 countries and regions, including 41 international teams and 17 teams from China, with over 500 Chinese and international students, teachers, and coaches in total.

MT/MG