Iranian Entity: Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)

Entity Name:

Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)

Program:

Chemical/Biological

Address:

- 71 Forsat St., Enghelab Avenue, P.O. Box 15815, Tehran
- Khorasan Research Center, Danesh Street, Mashad

Phone Number:

98-21-828-051

Fax:

98-21-883-8340

URL:

http://kavosh.irost.net/english/; http://biotech.irost.net (Biotechnology Research Center)

E-Mail:

webmaster@irost.com

Text:

Affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education of Iran; established in 1980 to support and train researchers by providing scientific and administrative facilities and the possibility of collaborative research opportunities; listed by the Japanese government as an entity of concern for biological, chemical and nuclear weapon proliferation; identified by the British government in February 1998 as having procured goods and/or technology for weapons of mass destruction programs, in addition to doing non-proliferation related business; reportedly acted as a front for the purchase of fungus for producing toxins from Canada and Netherlands.

Created an independent biotechnology group, called the Biotechnology Research Center, in 1980, which consists of five research departments: Agricultural Biotechnology, Bioprocess and Engineering in Biotechnology, Environmental Biotechnology, Food Biotechnology, Medical Biotechnology, and the Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center; agriculture biotechnology work includes the pilot scale production of Bacillus thuringiensis, a commercial biopesticide that can be used as a simulant for anthrax for the purpose of development and weapon production.

Khorasan Research Center: Research in mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, chemical engineering, and material science.

Date Entered:

1/26/2004

Date Last Modified:

8/23/2004