TEHRAN — On a two-day trip to France Iran’s Health Minister, Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi, visited Pasteur Institute and Necker Hospital in France on Thursday.

Qazizadeh Hashemi and his delegation, comprising of officials from the Health Ministry, head of the Blood Transfusion Organization and head of Iran’s Pasteur Institute travelled to France on Wednesday.

The two countries’ officials also discussed science and research-oriented relations between Pasteur Institutes in Iran and France, Webda reported.

“Iran’s Pasteur Institute is about 100 years old and so far we have enjoyed an active cooperation between the two institutes which we believe can be improved in the near future,” Qazizadeh Hashemi noted.

Closer cooperation between the two institutes will also result in better healthcare services not only in Iran but the whole region as well, the minister highlighted.

Additionally, Iranian students can study in France while French students can take courses in Iran’s Pasteur Institute, the minister said.

In his meeting with French Health Minister Marisol Touraine, Qazizadeh Hashemi pointed to the past relations between the two countries which date back to at least two centuries ago and said the post-sanctions Iran provides a great opportunity to rekindle the old relations.

“Currently France exports 500 million euros to Iran that one third of which is dedicated to health market,” he said.

“Iran is ready to boost cooperation with France regarding blood transfusion, modern electronic healthcare services, blood products and emergency services,” Qazizadeh Hashemi noted.

Touraine also thanked Qazizadeh Hashemi for accepting her invitation and also offered her sincere condolences over the tragic stampede in Mina in which more than 400 Iranian pilgrims lost their lives.

In an interview with IRNA, Qazizadeh also counted French pharmaceutical companies as Iran’s most important partners and mentioned further joint investments between Iranian and French drug traders.

Boosting cooperation between the two countries can also result in better healthcare services in the Middle East as some of Iran’s neighboring countries are suffering from epidemic contagious diseases, the minister said.

On the subject of medical tourism, the minister said Iran will exclusively offer its services to the neighboring countries and non-European patients as they are vulnerable and in need of humanitarian aid.

“What we expect France in medical tourism is investment,” he added.


MQ/PA