Iran willing to strengthen scientific ties with Afghanistan

Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology Reza Faraji Dana underlined Tehran’s eagerness to further expand scientific relations with Afghanistan. Faraji Dana made the remarks in a meeting with Afghan Ambassador to Tehran Nasir Ahmad Nour on Wednesday. “Given the fact that a sum of 510 Afghan university students are studying in Iran and also according to Istanbul process Tehran has been commissioned as in charge of reconstruction of Afghanistan’s science and technology sectors, therefore we hope that the meetings between higher education officials of Iran and Afghanistan will result in consolidation of scientific relations between the two countries,” He said. The Iranian minister said that Iran is committed to fulfill its undertakings for boosting further research and scientific cooperation with Afghanistan. Iran is one of the most important donors to Afghanistan, which has kept its promises to help to the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. Iran has built several roads, power transmission lines, border stations and many other infrastructure projects to better link the two nations. Iran has also contributed more than $50mln annually to Afghan anti-narcotics efforts during the last five years. Tehran has repeatedly called for a withdrawal of the US-led foreign troops from Afghanistan, stressing that establishment of peace and security in the war-ravaged country is possible only through cooperation among the regional states.