Visit of a High-Level Delegation of Senior Counsellors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Royan Institute

A delegation comprising Senior Counsellors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran visited Royan Institute on 14 December 2025, to gain first-hand insight into the Institute’s capacities, capabilities, and strategic achievements in the fields of treatment, research, education, and advanced biomedical technologies. This specialized visit was conducted with the aim of deepening institutional interactions and advancing the country’s scientific diplomacy, and is regarded as one of the significant inter-institutional events in the domain of science and technology.

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of Royan Institute, the specialized meeting held as part of this program lasted more than three hours and commenced with a welcoming address by Dr. Ahmad Vosough, Deputy for Treatment and Specialized Services of Royan Institute. While expressing his appreciation and extending a warm welcome to the delegation, he presented an overview of the Institute’s therapeutic activities and specialized services, highlighting Royan Institute’s influential role in strengthening the national health system and advancing innovative and advanced therapies.

Subsequently, Dr. Parvaneh Afsharian, Director of the Planning and Development Office, delivered a comprehensive report on the establishment of Royan Institute, its developmental trajectory from inception to the present, and its most significant national and international achievements. She further elucidated the Institute’s status as one of the country’s leading and reference scientific centers.

Following this, Dr. Abolhassan Shahzadeh Fazeli, Deputy for Research and Technology, focused on the Institute’s research missions, scientific structure, and research outputs, explaining Royan Institute’s role in knowledge production, the development of cutting-edge research, and its active presence in national and international science and technology arenas.

In another segment of the meeting, Dr. Morteza Zorabi, Chief Executive Officer of Royan Cell Bank Company, presented the performance, capacities, and achievements of the cell bank, emphasizing its strategic role in the advancement of regenerative medicine, novel therapies, and the development of future national health infrastructures.

Thereafter, Dr. Rouhollah Fathi, Deputy for Education, outlined the performance of the educational sector, including the organization of seminars, symposia, congresses, international courses, and training programs. He also addressed the needs and requests of this domain aimed at enhancing the quality and scope of educational activities.

Additionally, Leila Deliri, Director of the International Patients Department, provided a comprehensive introduction to the activities and performance of this unit, presenting statistics and success rates of international patients and explaining its role in attracting foreign patients and expanding international therapeutic services.

Dr. Mostafa Najjar Asl, Deputy for Support, and Mehdi Lotfi-Panah, Director of Public Relations and International Affairs, underscored the necessity of appointing a dedicated liaison officer and establishing a specialized service desk within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They emphasized that Royan Institute, with its full scientific capacities and professional team, is fully prepared—through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—to contribute to the enhancement of national scientific diplomacy and the strengthening of the country’s international standing.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs counsellors commended the scientific level and achievements of Royan Institute and emphasized the optimal utilization of the Institute’s capacities to improve the image of scientific diplomacy, reinforce the scientific standing of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and expand international scientific interactions. Key topics discussed included the development of transnational scientific collaborations, strengthening the role of Iran’s diplomatic missions in introducing national scientific achievements, and fostering synergy between the diplomatic apparatus and scientific institutions.

Furthermore, the Institute’s managers and experts raised existing issues, challenges, and needs related to the international presentation of achievements, cooperation with embassies, and the facilitation of processes for inviting foreign researchers, specialists, and speakers, as well as dispatching scientific delegations. Members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation provided responses and practical solutions, reiterating the Ministry’s targeted support for the development of scientific and technological cooperation.

At the conclusion of the visit, in order to ensure further interaction and follow-up, the necessary coordination was established between the Director of Public Relations and International Affairs of Royan Institute and the visiting delegation, so that international-related matters may be pursued and appropriate actions undertaken through official channels.

This visit and specialized meeting were held in a constructive, strategic, and synergistic atmosphere and are considered an effective step toward strengthening the linkage between science and diplomacy, as well as enhancing the scientific standing of the Islamic Republic of Iran at regional and global levels.