Nazari Hamid
CEO and UNESCO Chairholder
Affiliation: Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran
Biography: Birthday February 18th 1968, Tehran-Iran
Languages: Persian, French and English
Diploma: HDR in the Sciences of the Universe “Analyse de la tectonique active en Iran: Approaches morphotectonique et paleoseismologique. Implication en termes d’alea sismique. Montpellier, Montpellier-France (2015) Université de
Post Doc. in Active Tectonics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge- UK (2011)
PhD in Geology “Analyzing the recent and active tectonics in Central Alborz and Tehran region using morphotectonics and paleoseismology” University of Montpellier II, Montpellier-France (2006)
Born on February 18, 1968, in Tehran, Iran, the candidate is a highly accomplished geologist with proficiency in Persian, French, and English. Since 2021, he has held the prestigious position of UNESCO Chairholder in Coastal Geo-Hazard Analysis, reflecting his expertise
and leadership in the field. His academic and professional journey includes serving as Vice-Di-rector and Deputy of Research (2009-2021) at the Research Institute for Earth Sciences (RIES), where he currently heads the Innovation Department.
He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Geology from Iranian universities, followed by a PhD in Paleoseismology from Université Montpellier II, France (2002-2006). His academic pur-suits continued with a Post-Doctorate in Active Tectonics at the University of Cambridge, UK (2007-2011), and culminated in the attainment of the Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) in Science of the Universe from Université de Montpellier, France, in 2015.
With over three decades of professional experience at the Geological Survey of Iran (GSI) and RIES, he has established himself as a leading expert in geohazards, geo-archaeology, paleoclimatology, and, more recently, the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence in geological mapping. His extensive international scientific collaborations and close engagement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) underscore his global impact in the field. He has authored numerous publications indexed in the Web of Science (WOS), further solidifying his contributions to the scientific community.
In addition to his scientific endeavors, he is a recognized social activist and critical sociopolitical analyst in Iranian media. Since 2025, he has been the founder and CEO of Intelligent Geo-Mine Co., a pioneering enterprise leveraging advanced technologies in geological and mining applications.
Akafzadeh Alireza, Principal member of the board of directors
Affiliation Kerman Steel and Rolling Complex
Biography: Born on 1973, Kerman
Language: Persian, English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Business Management. University of Nicosia (2013)
Alireza Akafzadeh is a senior executive with extensive leadership experience in the steel and manufacturing industries. He has held key positions such as CEO and Chairman of the Board at several major companies, including Kerman Steel Industries, Kerman Steel and Rolling Complex, and others. He has successfully managed and launched major industrial projects, including steel mills, mineral water, and dairy factories, even under international sanctions. He has received numerous national honors and awards for entrepreneurship, management excellence, and contributions to economic development, including recognition from the President and Parliament Speaker.
Akbarpour Afshin
Vice CEO
Affiliation: Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran
Biography: Born September 23, 1969, in Sanandaj, Iran
Languages: Persian, English, Swedish
Diploma: PhD in Economic Geology, specializing in copper and gold mineralization and ore genesis, from Masjed Daghi Jolfa, Iran with over 28 years of experience in the Geological Survey of Iran’s
Exploration Department and Research Institute of Earth Sciences, my expertise spans tectonic settings, metallogeny, and exploration methods for porphyry copper and epithermal gold deposits.
I have published numerous scientific papers in esteemed journals, including the Journal of Economic Geology and Ore Geology Reviews. Notable accolades include the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology’s award for outstanding research in geology in 2010. I am a member of the Society of Economic Geologists, the Geological Society of Iran, and the International Association of Geochemistry.
My teaching experience encompasses courses in economic geology, mineral deposits, and geochemistry. I have supervised several MSc and PhD students, many of whom have become prominent researchers and professionals in the field.
Additionally, I have collaborated with international institutions, including the Geological Survey of Sweden and the United States Geological Survey, on various research projects related to mineral exploration and geology.
Dadkhah S-M Mehdi
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: Managing Director of Ahura Mining Company Aria Far, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zarjoyan Hasht Behesht Company (exploration and extraction of Chago and Qomshlo copper mines), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Khak Energy Pak Company
Biography: Birthday September 8th 1974, Tehran-Iran
Languages: Persian, Turkish
Diploma: Bachelor in Low and MS in Psychology
Law expert and member of the Board and Directors of Soroush Dadkhahan Law Firm of Pasargad with experience includes serving as a law expert and member of the Board of Directors at Soroush Dadkhahan Law Firm of Pasargad, as well as a contractor for urban projects with Tehran Municipality.
Dori Mohamad Bagher
Principal member and Founder
Biography: Birthday May 10th 1959, Karaj-Iran
Languages: Persian, English
Diploma: M.Sc. in Geology, University of Tehran.
35 years of experience in the Geological Survey of Iran’s exploration department, overseeing projects for gold, copper, iron, lead, zinc, potash, borax, and salt exploration across various regions of Iran. I have had the privilege of working on numerous high-profile projects, collaborating with international teams and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to identify and develop mineral resources. My expertise spans the entire exploration spectrum, from reconnaissance and target generation to drilling and resource estimation. I have a deep understanding of the geological terranes of Iran, having worked extensively in the Alborz, Zagros, and Central Iranian geological zones, among others.
Hajian Barzi Mahmoud
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Exploration Directorate
Biography: 18/02/1967, Tehran
Languages: Persian, English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Sedimentology, Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, (2011). M.Sc. in Sedimentology, Science, and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, (2006).
B.Sc. in Geology, Isfahan University, (1991).
Mahmoud Hajian Barzi, born in 1967 in Tehran, is a geologist with extensive experience in petroleum exploration. He holds a B.Sc. in Geology from Isfahan University, an M.Sc. in Sedimentology, and a Ph.D. in Sedimentology from the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, graduating with distinction.
Senior Geologist, Project Manager, Exploration-Development Block Manager, and Head of Re-search and Technology. Since 2019, he has been the Deputy of Earth Sciences in Executive Af-fairs. He has also worked as an adjunct professor and supervised M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in geology.
His expertise spans sedimentary basin analysis, petroleum geology, geophysical software applications, and exploration geology. He has completed numerous training courses in geology, management, and petroleum exploration. He is also a member of the editorial board of the Exploration and Production Monthly Journal.
Dr. Hajian Barzi is fluent in English and will retire from NIOC in September 2024.
Karami Jalal
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: Faculty of Remote Sensing and GIS, Tarbiat Modares University
Biography: Born on 1972, Malayer
Language: Persian, English
Diploma: Ph.D. in GIS Engineering, “Development of a Decision Sup-port System Based on Uncertainty for Surface Water Pollution Modeling Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques and Data Mining, particularly Rough Set Theory”, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, (2004).
Dr. Jalal Karami, with a background in GIS and remote sensing, was born in 1972 in Qaleh Mirza, a village in Malayer County, Iran. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown and later pursued higher education at the University of Isfahan, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography in 1996. He went on to complete a Master’s degree in Remote Sensing and GIS at Tarbiat Modares University in 2002, focusing his thesis on the application of artificial intelligence in object-based satellite image processing. In 2001, Dr. Karami began his professional journey as a remote sensing expert at the Geological Survey of Iran, where he worked until 2008. During this time, he contributed to the processing of satellite imagery for mineral exploration in various regions of Iran. He was also part of a national airborne hyperspectral imaging project, collaborating with Australia’s HyMap sensor and the UK-based firm Infotera, with a focus on South Khorasan Province.
In 2004, Dr. Karami commenced his Ph.D. studies in GIS Engineering at K. N. Toosi University of Technology. As part of his academic journey, he broadened his expertise by taking courses in artificial intelligence, including neural networks and fuzzy computing, at Amir Kabir University of Technology.
His doctoral research focused on developing an uncertainty-based decision support system to model surface water pollution, employing artificial intelligence and data mining techniques, particularly Rough Set Theory.
Since 2011, Dr. Karami has been a faculty member in the Department of Remote Sensing and GIS at Tarbiat Modares University, where he currently serves as the department chair.
Over the years, he has had the privilege of supervising more than 30 Master’s and Ph.D. students and contributing to various research projects of national and international importance. Dr. Karami’s work primarily focuses on applying GIS, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence to geology, environmental modeling, and disaster management. He has been involved in several projects, such as the development of Web-GIS geodatabases, Al-based orebody modeling, and cloud-based geological mapping using Google Earth Engine.
He shares his knowledge with students by teaching courses in areas such as Soft Computing in Earth Sciences, Spatial Data Mining, Intelligent GIS, and Remote Sensing in Geology and Miner-al Exploration.
Dr. Karami has also contributed as a peer reviewer for various academic journals, including IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing and Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
His work has supported advancements in geospatial applications for geology and environmental management.
Majidifard Mahmoudreza
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: Research Institute of Earth
Sciences – Geological Survey of Iran
Biography: Birthday July 07 the 1968, Tehran-Iran
Languages: Persian, German and English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Bayerischen Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany, (2004).
Biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, ammonite taxonomy and microfa-cies analysis of the Middle and Upper Jurassic of northeastern Iran Stratigraphy and Paleogeography of Mesozoic strata in Iran
I am an associate professor of stratigraphy, paleontology, and sedi-mentology at the Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran, with over 33 years of experience.
My expertise includes preparing geological maps, paleontology of Mesozoic strata, biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, facies analysis, depositional environment, sequence stratigraphy, and paleobiogeography.
Mohammadi Vizheh Mehdi
Assistant research professor
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: Research Institute for Earth Sciences (RIES), Geological Survey of Iran
Biography: Birthday March 20th, 1982, Tehran-Iran
Language: Persian, English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Geophysics / Electromagnetics; Constrainedinversion of radiomagnetotelluric data by processing and interpretation of ground penetrating radar data and geology information, University of Tehran, Tehran-Iran (2019)
6-month research opportunity at Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden (2017)
Naziri Mohammad Amin
Chairman of the Board
Affiliation: 2021 to 2023, Mining Expert, Iran Mine House
2005-2021, Mining Expert, Deputy of Mine Affairs and Mineral Indus-tries, Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade
Blography: March 17th 1980, Khoy – Iran
Language: Persian, English, Turkish, Azeri
Diploma: Ph.D. in Economic Geology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, (2021).
M.Sc. in Economic Geology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, (2011).
B.Sc. in Geology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, (2003).
After graduating in geology from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, I was hired as a mining expert in the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade in 2005. Since 2008, I have been working as the head of the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Mines in the Minis-try of Industry, Mines and Trade for 10 years. Considering the planned work to work in the private sector, while obtaining a PhD in economic geology from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, I have continued my work as a consultant to the Iranian Mining House and several mining holdings since 2020, and at the same time I have been cooperating with the Iranian Mining Engineering System Organization as a lecturer in the training courses “Mining Laws” and “HSE”, and this educational cooperation is still ongoing.
Currently (2025), I am working in the form of a private company in the field of mining and mining industries.
Talebian Morteza
Principal member and Founder
Affiliation: Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran
Biography: Born on 24 Aug 1965, Neyshabour
Language: Persian, English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Geology, Seismotectonic, University of Cambridge, UK, (2003)
My Research Interest is Geology of active faults, Earthquake Hazard Analysis, Seismology and Modelling.
I am a seismotectonic expert and field geologist with over three de-cades of experience in earthquake hazard assessment, active fault studies, and geological research. Born on August 24, 1965, I have dedicated my career to understanding the complexities of tectonic processes and their implications for seismic risk assessment across the Iranian Plateau.
I hold a PhD in Seismotectonic from the University of Cambridge, UK (2000-2003), where my dissertation focused on estimating fault off-sets, waveform modeling of earthquakes, processing aeromagnetic data, and evaluating the basement structure of the Zagros region. My research also explored the role of strike-slip faults in the central Zagros, contributing to a deeper understanding of active structures in the region.
Prior to my PhD, I earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Seismology from the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering in Tsukuba, Japan (1994-95), and an MSc in Geology (Tectonic) from the University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran (1990-93).
My MSc research delved into the paleoclimatology and structural evolution of the Zagros fold and thrust belt, as well as gravity collapse structures. I completed my BSc in Geology at the University of Kerman, Iran (1984-88), where I produced a detailed petrographic map of ophiolites around Kerman.
Since 2008, I have been a member of the Permanent Committee for Revising the Iranian Code
of Practice for Seismic Resistant Design of Buildings at the Building and Housing Research
Center (BHRC). I also serve on the National Committee for Earthquake and Landslide Hazard
under the Ministry of Interior, contributing to national policies on disaster risk reduction.
From 2007 to 2018, I served as the Director of the Research Institute for Earth Sciences (RIES) at the Geological Survey of Iran, where I led various research initiatives, including the preparation of the National Earthquake Hazard Map of Iran, funded by the Iranian Planning and Budget Organization. Earlier in my career, I was the Head of the Seismotectonic Department at the Geo-logical Survey of Iran (1996-2006) and held senior geological roles in both the public and private sectors.
In addition to my national contributions, I am actively involved in several international projects aimed at advancing global understanding of seismic hazards and tectonic processes. These projects include collaborations with leading research institutions and organizations worldwide, focusing on topics such as active fault mapping, seismic risk assessment, and the development of earthquake-resistant design standards. My work in these projects has strengthened international cooperation in geosciences and contributed to global efforts in disaster risk reduction. I have been recognized for my contributions to geosciences and seismology. In 2007, I was named the Distinguished Researcher of Tehran Province by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
My academic excellence has been acknowledged through prestigious awards, including the Cambridge Overseas Trust Scholarship and the King’s College External Studentship during my PhD studies at the University of Cambridge. Earlier, I was awarded the MONUSCO Scholarship by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science for my postgraduate studies in seismology.
My primary research focus is on the study of active faults and earthquake hazard assessment, with a particular emphasis on integrating various sources of information. My work combines morphotectonic studies with seismology, geodetic, and dating methods to better understand tectonic processes and their implications for seismic risk analysis.
Beyond my professional pursuits, I am passionate about advancing the understanding of tectonic processes and their societal impacts. My work continues to shape policies and practices in earthquake-resistant design and disaster preparedness. I am also a member of The Academy of Science of Iran.
Yousefi Rad Mostafa
Intelligent Geo-Mine
Affiliation: Arak University of Technology
Biography: Birthday January 21, 1968
Languages: Persian and English
Diploma: Ph.D. in Stratigraphy, “Chemical and biological stratigraphy of the Lower Cretaceous sequence in eastern Arak”, Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, (2001).
I was born on January 21, 1968. I am fluent in English and Persian. From 1998 to 2000, I was the director of water resources studies in Markazi province.
I was both a faculty member and vice president for research at Islamic Azad University of Arak from 2000 to 2008, and then from 2009 to 2014, I was simultaneously a faculty member and president of Payam Noor University of Arak. I was also the vice president for research at Arak University of Technology from 2015 to 2020, and since then I have been a faculty member and associate professor in the Department of Geomechanical Engineering at this university.
I am the founder of the first knowledge-based company at Arak University of Technology and am currently the CEO of Segal Geoscientists Company, which produces various advanced technologies in the field of geosciences.
I established the field of geological surveying engineering in Iran and it has been accepted and registered with the Ministry of Science, Re-search and Technology of Iran. I have written 14 books on geology.
I have taught and trained a large number of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. I have been teaching at various universities in Iran since 1997.
I have registered five patents in Iran. I am currently a member of the board of directors of Hoosh Zamin Kav Company.
My research and technology interests are in the fields of chemical stratigraphy, hydrostratigraphy and mechanical stratigraphy, and I have conducted articles and more than 120 research projects in this field. Due to the shortage of water resources in Iran, I have conducted extensive research and studies on groundwater and have been active in groundwater exploration, karst and speleology for more than thirty years.
