TEHRAN – Some 700-800 Iranian knowledge-based companies exported their products to 85 countries in the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 19, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology has said.

The total export value of knowledge-based products reached 1.5 billion dollars which has significantly increased compared to 869 million dollars in the Iranian year 1401 (March 2022 – March 2023), Mehr news agency quoted Amir-Hossein Mirabadi as saying.

The export growth was attributed to the efforts of the companies and the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

“The export value is anticipated to reach 2 billion dollars this year,” he added.

Within the same period, science and technology international interactions were highly improved. Iranian knowledge-based companies participated in 35 international exhibitions.

Moreover, Iran hosted around 100 foreign delegations, Mirabadi said.

Highlighting that the number of international programs increased 12 times last year compared to a year earlier, Mirabadi pointed out that further growth is expected in the current Iranian year that started on March 20.

Concerning the activities and the grounds laid formerly, this year is going to be a busy international year in the field of science and technology as the agreements and memorandums of understanding will take effect, Mirabadi further noted.

He went on to stress that Iran will target Africa, Latin America, and East Asia as key international destinations for collaboration in the field of science and technology.

Iran targets East Africa

Mirabadi said earlier that accessing new markets is a newly adopted strategy, that is, deepening trade ties with countries, like Africa, that the country has failed to note before.

Lack of knowledge and sufficient information about a region makes one assume there is no market or that it would be impossible to do business there, he added.

Assessing African countries' market capacities, it was found that there are potential opportunities for market entry and expanding ties. What matters is earning foreign currency revenue not where it comes from, it can be an advanced European country or an African country.

Iran sent a trade-technology delegation to East Africa from October 15-22, 2023, to expand exports in three countries.

Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania were the three target countries, IRNA reported.

Health (medicines and medical equipment), agriculture and animal husbandry, machinery, food, and industries have been determined as the most suitable fields for export.

In July 2023, Iranian knowledge-based companies concluded contracts for exporting medical equipment and medicine to Africa.

On July 13, President Ebrahim Raisi wrapped up his three-nation tour of Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, becoming the first Iranian president to engage in an African tour in more than a decade.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who accompanied Raisi, spoke about Iran’s perspective on the continent and the potential for collaboration with African nations.

“Iran’s view on Africa is quite different from that of neo-colonialism or its older version,” Amir-Abdollahian told Press TV in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

“We aim to empower Africa through technology transfer,” he said.

The foreign minister continued his remarks by elaborating on two key points of convergence between Iran and African countries. 

African people and their leaders are now quite sensitive to protecting their independence and this is among the commonalities between Iran and African nations, Amir-Abdollahian underlined. 

“Another issue of equal importance for Iran and Africa is the U.S. sanctions regime. With Africa’s assistance, we should prevent the U.S. and certain states that still have a colonial mindset from utilizing the deadly tool of sanctions against nations,” Iran’s top diplomat pointed out. 

MT/MG