Participation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Delegation in the Fourth Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEA)
The Fourth Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEA), hosted by UNESCO in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for Research and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 14 to 17 September 2026, with the participation of a delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian delegation is headed by Dr. Hossein Simaei Sarraf, Minister of Science, Research and Technology and President of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, and accompanied by Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
Representatives of governments, civil society, scientific and academic communities, international organizations and the private sector are attending the Forum to engage in constructive dialogue on ways to advance cooperation in the ethical and inclusive governance of artificial intelligence.
Representatives of governments, civil society, scientific and academic communities, international organizations and the private sector are taking part in the Forum to engage in constructive dialogue on how to advance cooperation in the ethical and inclusive governance of artificial intelligence.
It is worth noting that this Global Forum, launched in 2022, has previously been hosted by the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Thailand, and has also received joint financial support from the European Union since 2024. The event brings together global leaders, policymakers, experts and stakeholders to strengthen dialogue on AI ethics and governance and promote practical and sustainable approaches in this field.
The 2026 edition of the Forum provides a high-level platform for ethical reflection, linking discussions on governance with technological innovation and paving the way for broader dialogue on the future of artificial intelligence.
The Iranian delegation also includes Dr. Bagher Larijani, Head of the Research Center for Ethics and Medical History at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics; Dr. Mohammad Reza Hormozi Nejad, President of the National Science Foundation of Iran; and Mr. Mohammad Hafez Hekmi, Deputy Minister for Technology, Innovation and International Affairs at the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.
