The 4th Health Diplomacy Seminar, a comprehensive 2-day workshop on Advancing Health Diplomacy: Understanding the World Health Organization's (WHO) Role in Global and National Health System, was held on Kish Island on 13 and 14 May 2025. The event brought together key health leaders and policy-makers to deepen their understanding of health diplomacy and WHO’s contributions to global and national health frameworks.

The seminar was organized by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in close collaboration with the WHO Country Office in Iran, the Health Managers Development Institute and the Health Diplomacy Research Centre at Iran University of Medical Sciences. The multistakeholder partnership underscored a shared commitment to strengthening health diplomacy and cooperation within the Region.

The 43 attendees included chancellors of universities of medical sciences, vice-chancellors for public health from across the country and senior managers from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education’s headquarters. The course aimed to elaborate on the multifaceted role of health diplomacy in enhancing national and regional health systems and the role of WHO in improving the country’s health diplomacy. The calibre of participants reflects the strategic importance placed on this critical area of global health.