TEHRAN — Iran and Sri Lanka have inked a memorandum of understanding to improve technological cooperation.

The visiting Seri Lankan minister of science, technology and research, Susil Premajayantha, and the Iranian vice president for science and technology, Sorena Sattari, signed the MOU in Tehran on Tuesday.

The two sides pledged to consider and discuss possible future cooperation on nanotechnology, biotechnology, ICT, etc., IRNA news agency reported.

Mentioning Iran’s remarkable scientific and technological advances Premajayantha highlighted that “by recognizing Iran’s technological achievement despite years of sanctions we now see Iran in a positive light.”

“We need other countries technology to make progress and considering Iran’s advances we are willing to cooperate with Iran closely,” the Sri Lankan minister stated.

The two countries are also due to follow up on equipping Sri Lankan oil and gas analysis laboratories and initiating cooperation between Sri Lanka’s Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) and Iran’s Nanotechnology Development Fund, he noted.

He further expressed hope for the negotiations to come to fruition in no time.

Sattari, for his part, also explained that Iran’s economy is now less dependent on oil economy as there are some 2,800 knowledge-based companies operating in the country which are projected to grow to some 3,000 by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20).

Sattari also underscored the importance of trained manpower as the real treasure to the country saying that with some 4.8 million students in the country and a large number of engineering student graduating annually Iran can do greater by moving from resource-based economy toward one that is knowledge-based.

MQ/MG