TEHRAN – The Iranian Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Innovative Development of Uzbekistan have signed an agreement to broaden cooperation in the field of technology.

On the sidelines of the 22nd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which was held on September 15-16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the agreement was signed by Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin and Uzbek Minister of Innovative Development Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov, IRIB reported.

As per the agreement, the two sides pledged to launch joint ventures for manufacturing technological and innovative products and pave the way for exporting Iranian knowledge-based products to Uzbekistan.

In February, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov announced readiness to develop technological cooperation with Iran.

Good opportunities exist for technological cooperation between the two countries and Uzbekistan is ready to interact with Iran in this field, he said, appreciating Iran’s achievements in the field of technology, innovation, and development of knowledge-based firms.

On July 19, a delegation of Iranian knowledge-based companies led by Sorena Sattari, the former vice president for science and technology, headed to Uzbekistan to increase scientific and technological interactions.

Developing exports and business cooperation with Uzbekistan and Eurasia was one of the goals pursued by the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

The delegation consisted of 40 knowledge-based and creative companies in technological fields such as agriculture, animal husbandry, and health, who tend to develop their market and technological interactions in this region by attending specialized meetings with 150 Uzbek companies.

During the meeting, Sattari said Iran was ready to establish a house of innovation in Uzbekistan in a bid to broaden bilateral cooperation in the field of technology.

The Iranian house of innovation will be established in cooperation with the private sector, IRIB quoted Sattari as saying.

“The achievements of the two countries in the field of biotechnology, common views, and the desire for mutually beneficial cooperation are of particular importance,” said the Iranian vice president.

“We are ready to scale up the production of innovative products as part of start-up projects, by financing start-up and scientific projects in the field of biotechnology, creating conditions for joint scientific work of our scientists, as well as commercializing the results of scientific work. I believe that investments in this area will serve to further develop innovative entrepreneurship in accordance with the interests of both countries,” he explained, according to the portal of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Innovative Development.

In turn, Abdurakhmonov said that following his trip to Iran in March this year, cooperation was established with more than 20 Iranian companies, research institutions, and innovation infrastructure facilities.

MG