Iran was ranked 75th out of 185 countries in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Innovation and Technology Readiness Index as of December 2023. The index evaluates nations based on their capacity to develop and adopt frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, big data, 5G, 3D printing, robotics, drone technology, solar energy, biofuels, wind energy, green hydrogen, electric vehicles, nanotechnology, and gene editing.

UNCTAD’s assessment is based on five sub-indices: information and communication technology (ICT) development, skills measured by internet usage and connection speeds, research and development (R&D) activities including publications and patents, industrial activity in high-technology sectors and digital service exports, and access to financing indicated by credit availability to the private sector.

Within these categories, Iran’s rankings reflect mixed performance. It was placed 35th globally in the R&D sub-index, an improvement over previous years, rising from 40th in 2008 to 35th in 2022, albeit with modest growth. Conversely, Iran’s industrial activity sub-index is comparatively weaker, standing at 118th worldwide. On other sub-indices, Iran holds mid-range global positions: 62nd in access to financing, 74th in skills, and 78th in ICT infrastructure and development.

Regionally, Iran ranks within the top 10 in West Asia for skills (8th) and ICT establishment (10th). The trajectory in ICT infrastructure showed a decline from 104th in 2008 to 126th in 2015 but has improved steadily since then, reaching 78th by 2022.

In comparison, regional peers such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia ranked higher in the overall technology readiness index in 2022, placed at 53rd and 47th respectively. Iran’s positioning indicates ongoing challenges in industrial technology adoption and financing, balanced against relatively stronger results in research and educational capacities.