TEHRAN – Iran and Russia discussed avenues for increased cooperation in various fields of telecommunication.

The head of Russian telecoms regulator agency Roskomnadzor met Iranian telecoms minister Issa Zarepour on Sunday, discussing issues related to the internet, according to a statement by the Iranian telecommunication ministry.

The two sides exchanged views on the protection of children on the internet, a field where Iran has experiences to share with Russia, said the statement which was covered in a report by the semi-official ILNA news agency.

Lipov and Zarepour also discussed avenues for increased cooperation on the two countries’ stances in the International Telecommunication Union, Press TV reported.

The report said the two sides had also discussed cooperation between Iran and Russia on frequency spectrums, a field where the two countries can share capacities to boost the quality and speed of internet services.

Roskomnadzor is a Russian abbreviation for Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media.

The agency has repeatedly called on Western-based internet companies offering services in Russia to control content Moscow deems illegal or face restrictions.

Iranian and Russian telecoms authorities accuse Western governments of using internet platforms to sow discord in their countries.

That has led to restrictions on access to certain social media platforms in Iran and Russia.

However, the two countries have rarely shared their experiences on internet controls.

The Iranian telecoms ministry said Roskomnadzor’s Lipov will also meet his Iranian counterpart Amir Lajevardi on Monday to discuss opportunities for increased presence of Iranian telecoms companies in the Russian market.

In November 2022, Zarepour met Alexander Shoitov, the Russian Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media.

During the meeting, the Russian official announced readiness to develop communications infrastructure in Iran.

Shoitov said that due to the sanctions against Russia, we have planned to develop domestic production of sanctioned items within a certain period of time, and in this field, we can take advantage of the capabilities of Iranian companies.

In May, Andrei Fursenko, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, emphasized the need to expand scientific and technological cooperation with Iran, especially in the field of artificial intelligence.

“We pay serious attention to the field of artificial intelligence as a widely used scientific and technological field, considering the technological capabilities that exist in Iran, we are ready to cooperate in these fields,” IRNA quoted Fursenko as saying.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran on Monday with Rouhollah Dehqani, the vice president for science and technology.

“In the field of environment, where we are facing challenges, we can make positive changes and reforms with the help of technology and at the same time adapt ourselves to the changes that are inevitable,” Fursenko added.

Dehqani, for his part, said in recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has achieved significant success in various fields of technology such as biotechnology, telecommunications, nanotechnology, communication, and other fields.

“It seems that now is the right time for the formation of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially in various scientific and technological issues.”

It seems necessary to set up a joint committee and an investment fund for cooperation between Iran and Russia in the field of technology, Dehqani stressed.

Russia is one of the prioritized countries for scientific and technological relations with Iran. Since 2016, various specialized working groups formed by the two countries in the fields of space, aerospace, cognitive sciences, biotechnology, nanotechnology, university cooperation, mega-science, information technology, energy, and regional cooperation.

MG