[1] According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Iran had a substantial drain of highly skilled and educated individuals (15 percent) in the early 1990s.
[8] It has also been reported that the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States is running a covert operation code-named "Braindrain Project" with the aim of luring away nuclear-oriented Iranian talent, thus undermining Iran's nuclear program.
[9] In February 2024, the Iranian government initiated efforts to stem the flow of educated individuals leaving the country, focusing on increased surveillance and potential restrictions on movement.
The inability of the home country to respond to its citizens' needs, coupled with high unemployment rates and a general lack of intellectual and social security, all contribute to the brain-drain.
Additionally, self-censorship prevents people from thinking and writing freely, a limitation that makes both scientific and social science research extremely difficult".
The flight of human capital costs the government over $38 billion annually, two times the revenues received from selling oil.
[29] In recent years, several measures have been taken to slow down the brain-drain by providing work and research facilities for academics and highly skilled workers.
Another institution founded to deal with the welfare of Iranians working in the sciences and technology is the "Iran National Geniuses" foundation.