Seyed Zia Hashemi ( Persian : سید ضیاء هاشمی , born 1968 in Yasuj ) is an Iranian Doctorate, politician and former acting Minister of Science , a position he held from 20 August 2017 until 29 October 2017. He was also Vice President of Social and Cultural Affair at Ministry of Science, Research and Technology , a position he held from 2013 to 2017. He was head of the Islamic Republic News Agency from 1 January 2018 to 2020.