TEHRAN – Iran and Tajikistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the health sector focusing on six parts, including medical education, research, healthcare, treatment, medicine, and health insurance.

According to the Head of the Iranian Health Insurance Organization, Mohammad-Mehdi Nasehi, the MOU was signed on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran which was held on May 26, in Dushanbe under the chairmanship of the co-chairs of the commission — Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan Daler Juma and Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Aliabadi, IRNA reported.

Fostering ties in the health sector, particularly health insurance, is a part of Iran’s six-point roadmap for water diplomacy.

Referring to Iran’s expertise in health insurance, the official said the country’s experiences in implementing health insurance, referral systems, and other fields of health will be shared with Tajikistan through consultation and implementation.

In this regard, Iran’s six proposals included: Establishment of a regional assembly: Creating an assembly for cooperation on water, climate, and infrastructure resilience with the participation of the United Nations.

Protection of vital infrastructure: Developing regional protocols to prevent the targeting of water and energy facilities during crises.

Early warning systems: Launching a joint network for monitoring drought, floods, and dust storms to reduce human and economic losses.

Transfer of modern technologies: Sharing Iran’s technical expertise in the fields of water recycling, desalination, and low-water agriculture.

Linking water and energy diplomacy: Utilizing Iran’s capacity in electricity exchange networks and renewable energy to create new models of cooperation.

Participatory governance: Emphasizing the central role of women, youth, and scientific institutions in the sustainable management of water resources.

“The destruction of water and energy facilities is not just damage to a country’s infrastructure; it is a trigger for crises such as forced migration, widespread poverty, and environmental disasters,” Aliabadi noted.

He called on the international community to abandon double standards and develop binding mechanisms to protect these infrastructures from conflicts, so that water never becomes a tool for political pressure.

Describing the climatic situation of the Iranian Plateau and Central Asia, Aliabadi stated that cooperation among neighbors is a strategic necessity to combat drought and desertification, and emphasized: “The deep historical and civilizational ties of Iran with regional countries provide the best foundation for institutionalizing joint management of water resources and enhancing regional stability.”

In December 2025, Nasehi and the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, Jamoliddin Abdullozoda, agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of medical health insurance.

During a meeting held in Tajikistan, the two sides discussed the potential for expanding ties by launching joint investments in the health sector, ihio.gov.ir reported.

For his part, Nasehi announced the organization’s readiness to share experiences with Tajikistan to help strengthen its insurance system.

Health insurance services

According to the health ministry, about two million patients with rare and hard-to-treat diseases are covered by the Health Insurance Organization.

All resident and non-resident foreign nationals with legal stay in Iran are required to have basic health insurance coverage following a new enactment by the Cabinet of Ministers.

It also stipulated that non-resident foreign nationals with legal stay in the country could benefit from insurance by paying the health insurance premium fee, and in the absence of insurance, all health services provided will cost them as per health tourism fees, or at least as per private sector fees.

In 2024, seven more anti-cancer drugs were added to the list of rare diseases fund, with health insurance covering 70 percent of the costs.

“Currently, with the inclusion of these seven drugs, a total of 90 anti-cancer drugs are covered by the rare and hard-to-treat diseases fund, and the health insurance is paying 70 to 95 percent of their costs,” IRIB quoted Kameli, an official with the health insurance organization, as saying.

The number of health centers that have concluded contracts with the Health Insurance Organization increased by seven percent in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19) compared with the year before.

More than 53,000 centers have concluded contracts with health insurance organizations so far in the current year, IRNA quoted Keivan Tajbakhsh, an official with the Organization, as saying.

Health insurance contracts have been signed with government, non-government, private, and charity centers for services.

The centers include doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, rehabilitation centers, and all medical centers.

“We hope to witness an increase in the number of health centers that are parties to the contract with Health Insurance Organization as new forms of the contract, approved by the Supreme Council of Insurance, are announced,” Tajbakhsh said.

He stated that 13,931 pharmacies, 20,804 doctors’ offices, 2,049 clinics, 2,446 independent laboratories, and 4261 rehabilitation centers, both independent and affiliated with other organizations, have concluded contracts with the Health Insurance Organization.

MT/MG