Updated
A 12-member Iranian team of young technology experts won nine medals, including two gold, at the 2026 BRICS Hi-Tech Future Skills Competition in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in November. Tehran Times reported that the team's three silver and four bronze medals gave it the highest tally among participating teams. The competition ran from November 9 to 13 under the theme 'Hi-Tech: Skills of the Future' and drew more than 1,000 competitors, experts, technology companies, educational institutions and industry representatives. It aimed to promote technological cooperation among BRICS countries and the use of emerging technologies in production. Its 49 disciplines included AI, cybersecurity for infrastructure such as refineries and power plants, robotics, drones and smart manufacturing. Gold medals went to Abouzar Masoudi in chemical engineering and Kheibar Dashtian in polymer and petrochemical engineering. Citing Mehr News Agency, Tehran Times named bronze winners including Amir-Hossein Hashemi and Shervin Rastegar in robotics and automation, and Ali Yousefi and Hossein Seyyed Mohseni in cybersecurity. No independent coverage of the competition was cited.