Photo: User:Gire 3pich2005 , derived: User:Nastoshka · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 17 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Iran: Digital & Technology
How ready is a country to use, make and trade technology?
Iran is placed joint 109th of 198 countries on digital & technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GovTech Maturity Index 0.686 (2025); Government AI Readiness Index 48.34 (2025).
Share
Digital & Technology
joint109th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 0.686GovTech Maturity Index, 2025GTMI score (0–1)
- 48.34Government AI Readiness Index, 2025AI readiness score (0–100)
- -0.66Government Cyber Security Capacity, 2025Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
- 11.7Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports, 2024Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Iran on digital & technology — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.686
GTMI score (0–1)
Higher is better
Iran: 0.686. Across the 196 countries in this edition, values run from 0.01 (North Korea) to 0.997 (South Korea); the world median is 0.63.
- World median
- 0.63
- Best in Southern Asia
- 0.969 India
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan 0.121 · Armenia 0.769 · Azerbaijan 0.769 · Iraq 0.464 · Pakistan 0.679 · Turkmenistan 0.146 · Türkiye 0.812
48.34
AI readiness score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 76th of 195 by Oxford Insights
Iran: 48.34. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 12.12 (Guinea-Bissau) to 88.36 (United States); the world median is 40.19.
- World median
- 40.19
- Best in Southern Asia
- 66.55 India
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan 15.72 · Armenia 38.95 · Azerbaijan 51.91 · Iraq 29.37 · Pakistan 45.38 · Turkmenistan 22.5 · Türkiye 58.91
Key 3 of 4
Government Cyber Security Capacity
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
-0.66
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
Higher is better
Iran: -0.66. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from -2.66 (Liberia) to 3.715 (Estonia); the world median is 0.196.
- World median
- 0.196
- Best in Southern Asia
- 1.008 India
- Land neighbours
- Afghanistan -1.031 · Armenia 0.718 · Azerbaijan 1.085 · Iraq -0.619 · Pakistan 0.743 · Turkmenistan -0.787 · Türkiye 0.801
Key 4 of 4
Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
11.7
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
Higher is better
Iran: 11.7. Across the 170 countries in this edition, values run from 0.377 (Gambia) to 87.15 (Ireland); the world median is 25.42.
- World median
- 25.42
- Best in Southern Asia
- 78.01 India
- Land neighbours
- Armenia 32.31 · Azerbaijan 31.12 · Iraq 9.308 · Pakistan 63.58 · Türkiye 13.18
02Over time
Which way Iran is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government AI Readiness Index
AI readiness score (0–100) · higher is better
IranWorld median
Iran rose from 42.89 in 2020 to 48.34 in 2025; the world median went from 39.58 to 40.19.
Every year’s figures
Year Iran World median 2025 48 40.2 2024 44 43.3 2023 42 41.4 2022 45 40.3 2021 46 44.1 2020 43 39.6 Government Cyber Security Capacity
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity · higher is better
IranWorld median
Iran fell from -0.116 in 2000 to -0.66 in 2025; the world median went from -0.514 to 0.196.
Every year’s figures
Year Iran World median 2025 -0.66 0.20 2024 0.97 0.11 2023 1.66 0.14 2022 1.36 0.16 2021 1.36 0.12 2020 1.51 0.12 2019 0.94 0.10 2018 0.98 -0.05 2017 0.98 -0.08 2016 0.98 -0.10 2015 0.78 -0.17 2014 0.78 -0.21 2013 0.78 -0.21 2012 0.78 -0.25 2011 0.78 -0.32 2010 0.66 -0.31 2009 0.09 -0.50 2008 0.09 -0.51 2007 0.09 -0.51 2006 -0.12 -0.55 2005 -0.12 -0.55 2004 -0.12 -0.55 2003 -0.12 -0.55 2002 -0.12 -0.51 2001 -0.12 -0.51 2000 -0.12 -0.51 Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) · higher is better
IranWorld median
Iran rose from 8.124 in 2010 to 11.7 in 2024; the world median went from 19.88 to 25.42.
Every year’s figures
Year Iran World median 2024 11.70 25.42 2023 11.74 26.03 2022 11.60 26.04 2021 16.63 29.80 2020 19.62 29.47 2019 7.46 18.36 2018 7.61 20.09 2017 9.47 18.32 2016 8.29 18.15 2015 10.81 19.57 2014 10.15 21.00 2013 9.56 20.50 2012 9.75 19.56 2011 10.57 19.21 2010 8.12 19.88
03In context
Iran beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on digital & technology, never a place within the region.
Iran and the countries it borders
Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | GovTech Maturity IndexGTMI score (0–1) | Government AI Readiness IndexAI readiness score (0–100) | Government Cyber Security CapacityOriginal latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity | Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsDigitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pakistancompare | 54th | 0.6789 | 45.38 | 0.743 | 63.58 |
 Azerbaijan | =59th | 0.7689 | 51.91 | 1.085 | 31.12 |
 Türkiyecompare | 70th | 0.8124 | 58.91 | 0.801 | 13.18 |
 Armenia | 73rd | 0.7690 | 38.95 | 0.718 | 32.31 |
| Iran | =109th | 0.6856 | 48.34 | -0.66 | 11.7 |
 Iraq | 141st | 0.4642 | 29.37 | -0.619 | 9.308 |
 Turkmenistan | 172nd | 0.1462 | 22.5 | -0.787 | — |
 Afghanistan | 194th | 0.1210 | 15.72 | -1.031 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on digital & technology
The countries immediately above and below Iran in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Iran is ahead of the world, and behind
12 more statistics filed under digital & technology, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median2
Statistics on which Iran does better than the middle country measured.
Made or Received a Digital PaymentWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 51.6585.9851.65▲ Improved since 2014
Iran: 85.98 · world median 51.65 · Adults who made or received a digital payment in the past year (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 12.26 to 94.91; higher is better.
Position 5th of 98 · derived.
Frontier Technology Readiness IndexUNCTAD · 2023 · world median 0.4850.5440.485▲ Improved since 2013
Iran: 0.544 · world median 0.485 · Frontier Technology Readiness Index (0–1). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; higher is better.
Position 72nd of 170 · derived.
Behind the world median7
Statistics on which Iran does worse than the middle country measured.
Smartphone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 78.7873.7978.78No earlier reading
Iran: 73.79 · world median 78.78 · Adults whose main mobile phone is a smartphone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 8.663 to 97.36; higher is better.
Position 76th of 140 · derived.
AI User Share of the Working-Age PopulationMicrosoft AI Economy Institute · 2026 · world median 15.4512.815.45▲ Improved since 2025
Iran: 12.8 · world median 15.45 · Generative-AI users (% of population aged 15–64). Microsoft AI Economy Institute, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 6.1 to 73.3; higher is better.
Internet Use Among AdultsWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 83.0577.4883.05No earlier reading
Iran: 77.48 · world median 83.05 · Adults who used the internet in the past three months (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.06 to 99.12; higher is better.
Position 86th of 140 · derived.
Mobile Phone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 91.6887.0191.68No earlier reading
Iran: 87.01 · world median 91.68 · Adults who own a mobile phone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 45.83 to 100; higher is better.
Position 94th of 140 · derived.
Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic)V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median -0.114-2.267-0.114▼ Worsened since 2015
Iran: -2.267 · world median -0.114 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.2); higher = less disinformation. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.392 to 2.93; higher is better.
Position 161st of 176 · derived.
Government Social Media CensorshipV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.505-2.240.505No real change since 2015
Iran: -2.24 · world median 0.505 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4.5 to +2.4); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.721 to 2.295; higher is better.
Position 167th of 176 · derived.
Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.023-2.0611.023▼ Worsened since 2015
Iran: -2.061 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.
Position 168th of 176 · derived.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
GitHub DevelopersGitHub · 2026 · world median 84,670898,55784,670No real change since 2020
Iran: 898,557 · world median 84,670 · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 110 to 32,410,529.
GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · 2026 · world median 141,4541,142,310141,454No real change since 2020
Iran: 1,142,310 · world median 141,454 · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 142 to 77,284,974.
GitHub Git PushesGitHub · 2025 · world median 148,714798,320148,714Moved since 2020
Iran: 798,320 · world median 148,714 · Git pushes during the quarter. GitHub, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,967 to 40,768,192.
No current reading for Iran
Anthropic AI Usage Index, Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, Firms Experiencing Internet Disruptions, Firms with Their Own Website, ICT Goods Exports (last 2022), ICT Services Exports (last 2018), Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching (last 2023), Share of Firms' Payments Made Electronically and Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2021). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Digital & Technology among Iran’s 15 topics
Digital & Technology is Iran’s 6th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Development & Human Capital48th of 1963/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 67th of 2004/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 73rd of 1763/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 82nd of 1593/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge104th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 109th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 116th of 1934/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 122nd of 1843/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade143rd of 1772/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions168th of 1944/4 keys
- Peace & Security165th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties187th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour175th of 1824/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability180th of 1863/4 keys
- Gender & Equality181st of 1833/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on digital & technology
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Iran can most readily be measured against.
=1
EstoniaNorthern Europe
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, greyscale
=1
South KoreaEastern Asia
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
3rd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
South Korea=1st4/4 keysHighest in Southern Asia
India5th4/4 keysThis page
Iran=109th4/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Iran on digital & technology: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Iran rank on digital & technology?
Iran is placed joint 109th of 198 countries on Digital & Technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GovTech Maturity Index, Government AI Readiness Index, Government Cyber Security Capacity and Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GovTech Maturity Index figure for Iran?
0.686 in 2025 (gTMI score (0–1)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.63.
What is the latest Government AI Readiness Index figure for Iran?
48.34 in 2025 (aI readiness score (0–100)), according to Oxford Insights. The world median in the same edition was 40.19.
How does Iran compare with Pakistan on digital & technology?
Pakistan is placed 54th of 198, and Iran joint 109th. GovTech Maturity Index: Pakistan 0.679, Iran 0.686; Government AI Readiness Index: Pakistan 45.38, Iran 48.34; Government Cyber Security Capacity: Pakistan 0.743, Iran -0.66; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports: Pakistan 63.58, Iran 11.7.
How have Iran’s digital & technology figures changed?
Government AI Readiness Index rose from 42.89 in 2020 to 48.34 in 2025; Government Cyber Security Capacity fell from -0.116 in 2000 to -0.66 in 2025; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports rose from 8.124 in 2010 to 11.7 in 2024.
Which digital & technology statistics are missing for Iran?
No current reading is published for Iran on Anthropic AI Usage Index, Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, Firms Experiencing Internet Disruptions, Firms with Their Own Website, ICT Goods Exports, ICT Services Exports, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Share of Firms' Payments Made Electronically and Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Broadband and mobile subscriptions, connection speeds and the cost of getting online are absent, for the licence reason above; internet use and phone ownership, from the World Bank’s own household survey, and firms’ websites and internet disruptions, from its Enterprise Surveys, are published here as context. The ICT share of goods exports votes under Mobility & Trade. Digital public services and data-protection law are not held yet. Research and development spending is filed under Education & Knowledge, and what an economy knows how to make is under Economy & Innovation.
How the Digital & Technology standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The digital & technology method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- GovTech Maturity Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Government AI Readiness Index — Oxford Insights, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Cyber Security Capacity — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 12 statistics on this page come from 5 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Iran’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Iran (banner) — User:Gire 3pich2005 , derived: User:Nastoshka, CC0
- Estonia — Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Iran: Digital & Technology — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/iran/digital