WANA (Jan 13) – Iran’s Minister of Science, Research, and Technology announced that several top Iranian universities, such as Iran University of Science and Technology, Sharif University of Technology, and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, are prepared to establish branches in Iraq, provided administrative obstacles are removed. He emphasized that support from Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education would play a pivotal role in this regard.

 

On the verge of the second Iran-Iraq Science Week, Naeem Al-Aboudi, Iraq’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, met with Hossein Simayi Sarraf, Iran’s Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, at the Iranian Ministry of Science.

 

During the meeting, Simayi pointed to the numerous shared interests and commonalities between Iran and Iraq, stating: “In the field of science and technology, both countries are eager to expand relations, and existing agreements and memorandums of understanding must be implemented.”

 

He added: “In addition to Iraqi students studying in Iran, we have previously expressed our readiness to provide research opportunities for Iraqi faculty members and are awaiting its implementation by Iraq.”

 

Simayi also highlighted that facilitating the enrollment of Iraqi students at Iranian universities near the Iraq border, which are of high quality, could expedite and simplify the process.

 

Referring to Iran’s extensive experience in establishing technology-driven and knowledge-based companies, Simayi stated: “Iran is ready to share its expertise in setting up science and technology parks with Iraq and to assist in their establishment through consultancy or investment.”

 

The Iranian Minister of Science also mentioned the upcoming second Iran-Iraq Science Week, scheduled to be held in Karbala next week, and noted: “We have held meetings with participating Iranian universities to prepare a roadmap for effective scientific cooperation to present at the event.”

 

Iraqi Minister Welcomes Iran’s Expertise in Establishing Science and Technology Parks

Iraq’s Minister of Higher Education emphasized: “In my previous visits to Iran, I have toured its science and technology parks and have become familiar with Iran’s impressive capabilities in the technology sector.”

 

He added: “The legal framework for establishing science and technology parks in Iraq has now been developed, and we are ready to utilize Iran’s experience in this area.”

 

Naeem Al-Aboudi stressed that strengthening academic collaborations between Iran and Iraq would synergize the scientific capacities of both nations to address mutual challenges.

 

He remarked: “One of the symbols of the Iran-Iraq friendship is that Iran supported us during the ISIS attack and played a significant role in its defeat.”

 

Highlighting the need to elevate scientific collaborations to match the political and cultural ties between the two countries, he said: “We have held discussions with Iraqi universities to ensure the successful organization of the Iran-Iraq Science Week. God willing, the meeting of the heads of the two nations’ universities will bring numerous benefits to both Iran and Iraq.”