Iran awards science prize to US-based physicists

Iran awarded a prestigious prize in the study of science and technology to two US-based physicists on Thursday.

Harvard University physics professor Cumrun Vafa received the Mustafa Prize in the field of All Areas of Science and Technology. He donated his award to an Iranian science foundation. A quantum physics professor at Princeton University, Bangladesh-born Zahid Hasan, received the prize, too.

Hasan called the prize "a great initiative." Three other scientists Mohamed H. Sayegh from Lebanon, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary from Pakistan and Yahya Tayalati from Morocco received prizes, too. Each of the five won $500,000.

They were selected from more than 500 entrants. Iran launched the prize as part of its goal to become a regional scientific powerhouse.