TEHRAN –Farhad Yazdandoost, an official with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and Dmitry Koltsov, the Belarusian ambassador to Iran, have agreed on establishing a joint scientific committee in the upcoming spring.

Highlighting cooperation opportunities in basic and applied sciences, including physics, chemistry, and advanced technologies, the Belarusian official welcomed the promotion of scientific collaborations with Iran.

He also pointed to the joint committee held in January 2024, which stressed fostering scientific and technological relations. The official went on to say that since 2016, the two countries have also agreed on mutually recognizing higher education degrees.

Referring to a memorandum of understanding on boosting technological cooperation signed by the two countries in 2023, the official further highlighted the need to expand scientific and technological collaborations. 

For his part, Yazdandoost said the significant progress of the Iranian private sector in cooperation with Belarus in various fields underscores the importance of developing cooperation among knowledge-based companies, start-ups, and biotechnology.

The official expressed optimism that scientific and academic interactions as well as collaborative partnerships among scientists and universities of the two sides boost, as well. 

During the meeting, held on February 26, the ministry of science announced readiness to act as an intermediary between the institutions of the two countries to facilitate their cooperation. 

Underscoring the significance of coordination between various ministries of the two countries in fostering relations, the officials agreed on cooperation among universities and government organizations. 

Tehran, Minsk sign technological MOU

In 2023, Iran and Belarus signed a memorandum of understanding on boosting technological cooperation. 

Amin-Reza Khaleqian, the former head of Pardis Technology Park’s department for international affairs, and Oleg Tabanyukhov, the deputy head of Belarus Great Stone Industrial Park, signed the agreement, IRIB reported.

The MOU highlights expanding technological cooperation, holding joint events, participating in mutual exhibitions, sharing technical knowledge, dispatching technological delegations, and making joint investments.

The agreement was reached following a comprehensive cooperation roadmap signed in March by the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

In March 2023, the former first vice president said that Western powers’ unilateral sanctions on countries that seek independence have provided a great chance to rely on their own scientists’ expertise.

The comment was made by Mohammad Mokhber at a meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, who made a two-day visit to Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has been able to break considerable grounds in the fields of science and technology by overcoming these sanctions,” Mokhber said.

He stated that the two nations may leverage Iran’s experience coping with sanctions to strengthen their collaboration.

Mokhber noted that “Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has stressed the need to swiftly put the Iran-Belarus accords into effect”. He added that “the North-South Transportation Corridor provides a great potential for collaboration between the two states.”

A foundation for a new level of reciprocal ties in various sectors will be established as the two countries signed a comprehensive cooperation roadmap and seven MOUs, he remarked.

MT/MG