To accelerate the country's march toward developing new technologies, Iran is expanding its tech ties with other countries.
The recent visit of a Chinese delegation headed by Song Tao, the head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, to Pardis Technology Park in the east of Tehran was in line with the objective, the website of Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology reported.
The two countries have a shared history of trade relationships. However, the former has always pictured Iran as merely dependent on its natural resources.
Tao says, "We have always thought of Iran as an oil and gas exporter, without realizing that it has become a producer of cutting-edge technologies."
During his visit to an exhibition of technological products at the park, Tao said Iranian advances in the fields of science and technology are impressive.
"This is really plausible that innovation by the young generation is valued in the country," he said.
“Innovation is the driving force of scientific and technological developments in the future. There are numerous untapped potentials in both countries that can be promoted.”
Hosting the Chinese group of visitors, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology, said the innovative and technological products displayed in Pardis Park are only the tip of the iceberg.
He also emphasized that the whole process of developing the featured products, which include medical devices, medicines, nanotechnology tools and software and communication products, has been the result of the endeavors of Iranian experts who used localized science and technologies.
Sattari highlighted historical ties between the two countries and emphasized that establishment of ties in new fields, especially technological areas, will definitely deepen the bilateral link.
Brazil, Iran Sign Deal
Besides China, Iran has signed a research and development agreement with the South American country of Brazil in the field of emerging cognitive sciences.
Early this week, representatives from Iran's Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology signed a multilateral agreement with two credible scientific centers in Brazil, namely Sao Paulo Research Foundation and the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Higher Education, to expand ties in the field of cognitive sciences.
According to the office's website, Isti.ir, conducting joint academic researches, exchanging students and university teachers, and developing technological tools and devices related to cognitive sciences in both countries are envisaged in the agreement.
The two sides of the deal will jointly work on producing invasive and non-invasive devices for operating on the human brain, training and conducting studies on the human brain and social cognitive abilities, as well as producing cognitive evaluation tools.
Eyes on the Horizon
Backing the new knowledge-based companies and startups have been high on the Iranian government's agenda since President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in 2013.
As a result, the establishment of science and technology parks and innovation factories has gained momentum across Iran.
According to Sattari, there are over 40 science and technology parks, nearly 4,500 knowledge-based companies, over 6,000 startups and about 80 innovation centers active around the country.
"Paving the way for young talented people and emerging tech firms has been a great help to the country to bypass the limitations imposed by US sanctions on Iran," he said.
The vice president noted that the development of startup ecosystem and technological achievements by the Iranian younger generation will end the country's economic dependence on oil revenues.
According to Sattari, startups and knowledge-based companies succeeded in earning over 900 trillion rials ($7.4 billion) of income in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2019).
