Deputy Minister of Health: 10,000 Iranian Students Study in the U.S.

Mohammad Baqer Larijani, the educational deputy of the Minister of Health, has reported that 10,000 Iranian students are studying in the United States and has spoken about the emigration of educated individuals from Iran. According to a report on Sunday, February 14, Larijani made this statement during a ceremony honoring the winners of the 20th Student Scientific Olympiad of 2015. He noted that 'in the years 2013 and 2014, Saudi Arabia sent 54,000 students to the U.S., ranking first, while unfortunately, Iran ranks second with 10,000 students registered in the U.S.' He warned that if the needs of students in Iran are not addressed, they will go abroad and face 'challenges' regarding their 'future careers.' The trend of migration among elites, students, and educated individuals from Iran is reportedly on the rise, according to various reports and statements from officials. Shahin Akhoundzadeh, the deputy of research and technology at the Ministry of Health, stated last year that 'about 50% of elite medical students leave the country after graduation.' Akhoundzadeh added that 'we train specialized personnel, and unfortunately, a significant portion of these individuals leave the country after graduation.' In 2013, Hassan Hosseini, the deputy of the National Elite Foundation, announced that 30% of medalists in scientific Olympiads from 2003 to 2007 had left Iran. Previously, the newspaper Shargh reported that from 1993 to 2007, over 60% of Iranian students who won medals migrated to developed Western countries. According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2009, Iran ranked first among 91 developing and underdeveloped countries in terms of elite migration. Ashraf Boroujerdi, a faculty member at the Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, stated that 'annually between 150,000 to 180,000 educated Iranians attempt to leave the country.' Based on statistics from the Parliament, in 2010, about 60,000 Iranian elites migrated from Iran, most of whom were winners of scientific Olympiads or among the top scorers in entrance exams and universities. Statistics show that currently, 25% of educated Iranians live in developed countries, with women and girls making up about 40% of the total migrants. In this context, '10,500 students' left Iran within a year. Will the 'brain drain' ever return to Iran? Civil registration: More than two million Iranians reside in the U.S. and the UAE.