Country profile

Iran, Islamic Rep.

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanUpper middle income91.57M inhabitants

Last updated December 22, 2025

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Composite GEFRI Score

Emerging readiness

Iran, Islamic Rep. demonstrates early-stage readiness (50th percentile worldwide). Investments are generating initial gains, yet substantial gaps persist in several dimensions. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.

50.79Composite score
Global percentile
50th
Global rank
#90
Regional rank
#13
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
69.18
69th percentileGlobal avg. 56.42
Human Capital
47.46
42nd percentileGlobal avg. 46.98
Innovation
50.72
74th percentileGlobal avg. 42.60
Governance
20.28
10th percentileGlobal avg. 47.71
Access & Parity
66.31
55th percentileGlobal avg. 50.60

Country profile

Iran, Islamic Rep. trails global peers in Governance (20, 10th percentile). A coordinated reform effort is needed to strengthen education futures readiness.

All or most indicators are based on observed data, giving planners a dependable evidence base for decisions. Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. Adult literacy gaps reduce the diffusion of knowledge needed for future-ready skills.

R&D investment remains modest, affecting long-term innovation potential. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.

Regionally, Governance lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.

Key insights

  • Places 90th worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 13th within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
  • Scores range from Infrastructure (69.2) to Governance (20.3), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Trails regional peers most clearly in Governance.

Regional peers: Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Composite GEFRI score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
171Israel74.24
322United Arab Emirates70.10
393Malta64.34
414Saudi Arabia63.68
565Qatar59.67
626Kuwait57.82
647Bahrain57.41
658Jordan57.41
819Oman53.74
8210Morocco53.24
8611Tunisia52.02
8712Algeria51.24
9013Iran, Islamic Rep.50.79
9914Egypt, Arab Rep.48.93
10515West Bank and GazaFCS45.80
11616LibyaFCS38.62
11817IraqFCS38.08
12518Djibouti35.55
12619LebanonFCS35.37
13920Pakistan29.77
14921Syrian Arab RepublicFCS26.62
16322Yemen, Rep.FCS22.34
17323AfghanistanFCS16.59