Iran and Russia are expanding their collaborations in the fields of technology and medicine, Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari says.
During a Thursday videoconference with Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Sergeyev, president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Tehran, Sattari discussed ways of further expanding collaborations, IRNA reported.
Sattari added that Iran’s ties with Russia started to strengthen since 2015 when the former minister of education and science of Russian Federation, Andrei Fursenko, visited Tehran.
“Fortunately, it has been a good start and the bilateral relationship is on the path to development,” he said.
Noting that Iranian universities and scientific centers have been more connected with their European and North American counterparts, Sattari said, “It is time to expand our ties with the east and forge a productive technological and scientific connection with Russian academic centers as well.”
The Iranian vice president said the two countries’ initial collaboration in the academic fields dates back to 2017 when around 18 joint research and development projects were designed.
“Since then, joint works have seen a significant rise as in the latest call for the submission of innovative and technological projects, over 370 applications have been received,” he said.
“Iran is willing to continue the exchange of university students at postdoctoral levels. We welcome any recommendations for deepening bilateral scientific and technological relations with Russia.”
Pointing to Russia’s recent production of the Covid-19 vaccine, Sattari said Iran is ready to support the project.
Speaking at the conference, Sergeyev said Russian scientific institutions, just as universities, can prepare the ground to enhance the quality and volume of cooperation with Iran.
“The academic centers and scientific institutions of Russia can work with their Iranian peers on biotechnology, minerals, Caspian Sea marine ecology and medicine production for treating contagious diseases, as well as in other technological fields,” he said.
Sergeyev suggested that professionals from both countries can form a working group to manage the joint projects, which can boost the quality and horizons of cooperation.
Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, also told the conference that the embassy will pursue the plans and extend Iran’s help as the Iranian vice presidential office’s representative in Russia.
Regional Efforts
In the past several years, Iran has been strengthening tech relations with neighboring and regional countries, especially Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Russia has recently called for establishing stronger relations with Iran in ICT and space technology fields.
In addition, Russia has hosted several Iranian commercial and tech delegations in the past year, including the 15th International Aviation and Space Salon (also known as MAKS Air Show) held in the city of Zhukovsky in late August 2019 and the INNOPROM International Industrial Trade Fair held in Yekaterinburg in July 2019.
Underlining the promising results of the visits, Sattari earlier told reporters that Russian tech firms have shown a willingness to forge ties with Iranian knowledge-based companies, especially in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, space, aviation, cognitive sciences and new energies.
“As a result, an Iranian knowledge-based company signed a €2 million deal with a Russian company on the sidelines of the MAKS Air Show. Iranian tech firms have also won accolades at Azerbaijan's high-tech exhibition called Bakutel 2019,” he said.
According to ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, Iran’s strong presence in the event can increase the chances of Iranian startups finding customers in the host country, which is a potential market for innovative products and services.
In addition, Iran and Armenia are working on the joint establishment of technology parks and the development of communication infrastructure.
Although progressing slowly, Iran's investments in promoting the national tech ecosystem and introducing the country's potentials to the regional market seem to have been successful.
Lending extended support to the development of startups and knowledge-based companies has been high on the government's agenda since President Hassan Rouhani took office during his first term in 2013.
Current Export Status
Endeavors to expand international tech ties are mostly aimed at curbing Iran's dependence on oil-based revenues and expanding its technology ecosystem, considering the economic hardships imposed on Iran by US sanctions.
Officials say knowledge-based companies can enter different industrial and commercial fields, and earn considerable revenues, as they did last year.
The vice presidential office earlier announced that Iranian knowledge-based companies and tech firms earned 1.2 quadrillion rials ($4.44 billion) from the export of technological products in the last Iranian year (ended March 19, 2020).
The figures show tech firms’ income has been on an upward trajectory over the past several years, starting from 600 trillion rials ($2.22 billion) in the fiscal 2017-18 to 900 trillion rials ($3.33 billion) in the year ending March 2019.
Officials believe that given the domestic potential and the enthusiasm of tech teams, exports will soon reach 5 quadrillion rials ($18.51 billion) and it is not a farfetched goal.
