Iran’s Scientific Advisor Shifts Technology Strategy Beyond Ecosystem Building

Iran’s scientific advisor to the president is reframing the country’s approach to technology development, signaling a strategic shift from building isolated startup ecosystems toward integrating companies into broader value chains that address national economic challenges.

Hossein Afshin, who serves as the scientific, technological, and knowledge-based economy advisor to the Iranian president, outlined this new direction during a meeting with elites and talented individuals in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. “We are no longer just building an ecosystem; we want to raise Iran’s technological ceiling,” Afshin stated, according to reports from Iranian news channels ^[1].

The statement reflects a recalibration of priorities under Iran’s current administration. According to Afshin’s remarks, the era of “isolated and point-based support” for accelerators and companies disconnected from value chains has ended ^[2]. This suggests frustration with previous approaches that increased the number of knowledge-based companies without generating proportional economic impact or solving large-scale national problems.

Afshin highlighted growth metrics as evidence of progress within the existing framework. The number of high-revenue companies – defined as those earning above a certain threshold – expanded from 79 companies to a higher figure, according to one report ^[1]. The expansion of high-impact companies within the technology ecosystem represents what officials frame as tangible progress, though the specific baseline and target figures vary across reports ^[1].

The advisor’s emphasis on connecting technology development to national interests aligns with broader Iranian policy discussions. In separate remarks, Afshin characterized Iran’s decision-making in foreign and economic policy as driven by “the right to choose” appropriate tools within specific contexts to ensure national interests ^[3]. This framing suggests that technology development, like foreign policy, is being evaluated through a lens of strategic autonomy rather than isolated sectoral growth.

Afshin’s recent activities underscore this integrated approach. During a visit to Kermanshah province, he toured the provincial science and technology park and examined technology-based companies housed in the technology tower, gaining insight into capabilities and opportunities within the regional science and technology ecosystem ^[2].

The shift in rhetoric comes as Iran operates under international sanctions that constrain access to advanced technology and foreign investment. By emphasizing value-chain integration and national problem-solving rather than company proliferation, Iranian officials may be attempting to justify technology spending to constituencies concerned about economic efficiency during periods of external pressure.

The new framework also suggests potential internal debate over previous technology policies. The explicit rejection of “isolated” support models implies criticism of earlier strategies, though Afshin did not name specific predecessors or programs. This repositioning may reflect broader tensions within Iran’s government over economic reform priorities and the allocation of resources between different development approaches.