Iran, Afghanistan stress building joint science associations

Hossein Salar Amoli, Deputy Minister of Science for International Affairs and Head of the Center for International Scientific Cooperation of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, met with Abdul Zahir Shakib, Head of the Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan (ASA), to discuss ways to expand international scientific cooperation between the two countries.

In this meeting, which took place on Wednesday evening at the International Scientific Cooperation Center of the Iranian ministry, Salar Amoli, referred to the importance of broad and rich cultural and historical similarities between the two nations and the two countries of Iran and Afghanistan, stressing the importance of Iran's scientific and technological position in the region and the world and, as well as the increasing role of Iran in the production of science in the region and the world.

The Deputy Minister of Science for International Affairs stressed the need to establish a joint association between the scientific and academic institutions of the two countries, adding that "interactions and scientific cooperation between the two countries through official channels and contacts between the representatives of the two sides should be regular and within a specific framework."

He also stressed the need to define and support joint research projects between researchers from the two countries and stressed the continued support of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran to the scientific and academic community of Afghanistan.

Supporting the awarding of scholarships to Afghan academics and researchers and the staff of the ASA, as well as declaring a readiness to cooperate in the field of digital library of the ASA were other issues mentioned by Salar Amoli during the meeting.

Also in the meeting, Abdul Zahir Shakib, Head of ASA, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with his visit to Iran and expressed hope that the scientific and academic relations and cooperation between the two countries would further expand and strengthen.

Mr. Shakib thanked the support of the Iranian ministry to the academic and scientific community of Afghanistan and the Afghan refugees despite the fact that Iran is under maximum sanctions, adding that "In the field of awarding scholarships to faculty members, launching a digital library and cooperation in the field of publications  are among the issues that Afghanistan needs the help of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

In the meeting, there were also some other officials from both sides who presented and exchanged their viewpoints.

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