TEHRAN – Iranian Science, Research and Technology Minister, Hossein Simaei-Saraf, and Russian Science and Higher Education Minister, Valery Falkov, reviewed strategies for developing scientific, educational, and academic cooperation between the two countries with an emphasis on expanding professor and student exchanges, strengthening research cooperation, and facilitating academic interactions.

In a telephone conversation, Simaei-Sarraf expressed hope that in-person meetings between the two sides will be held in Tehran and Moscow in the near future, IRNA reported.

He also announced the upcoming holding of a meeting of the presidents of top Iranian and Russian universities in Tehran, and considered the development of Russian language chairs in Iranian universities and Persian language chairs in Russian universities as a sign of deepening scientific and cultural ties between the two countries.

Falkov, for his part, pointed out the beginning of a new university admission period in Russia and the welcoming of Iranian students to study at the country's universities, emphasizing the importance of providing employment opportunities and utilizing the academic potential of graduates after their return to Iran.

Referring to the decrease in the number of Russian universities approved in Iran's evaluation system, he called for a review of the methods of evaluating and validating educational qualifications.

Simaei-Sarraf continued by emphasizing the readiness of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology to review the evaluation system of Russian universities and develop joint educational and research cooperation.

The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation on developing professor and student exchanges and expanding scientific cooperation between the universities of the two countries. The discussion ended with Simai-Sarraf and Falkov mutually emphasizing the continuation of consultations, strengthening academic cooperation, and planning for face-to-face meetings in the near future.

In December 2025, the second scientific conference between Iran and Russia was held in Moscow on Monday, with Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali; science attaché, Hadi Goudarzi, and representatives from universities and scientific institutions of the two countries in attendance.

Referring to Iran’s unique history and the civilizational commonalities between the two countries, Russian Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko emphasized the need to strengthen cultural and academic relations between Iran and Russia, msrt.ir reported.

“The Russian government is completely ready to promote collaborations with Iran in the science and technology sectors. Russia and Iran need to rely on their capabilities in the pursuit of global development and play their historical role,” he noted.

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Denis Sergeevich Sekirinsky, for his part, said the two nations have their own distinguished civilizations, maintaining cultural traditions and spiritual value. These historical commonalities have resulted in mutual respect and trust, as well as fostering cooperation.

Iranian and Russian universities and research organisations signed over 70 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) just over the past year, he noted.

For his part, Jalali highlighted the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Iran and Russia and emphasized the need to boost ties in scientific, technical, and cultural fields.

Independent countries like Iran and Russia should pursue the path to realizing a more just world through intellectual, historical, and cultural cooperation; meanwhile, scientific and elite dialogues will play a fundamental role, he added.

During the meeting, the two sides underlined developing cooperation between the universities of the two countries, memoranda of understanding, BRICS scientific projects, the exchange of professors and students, and mutual recognition of qualifications.

The conference included specialized meetings such as ‘Iran and Russia: from centuries of history to dialogue of civilizations’, and ‘synergy of knowledge and economy: new horizons of cooperation between Iran and Russia’.

The first scientific conference was held in 2022. The event is supposed to make great strides in deepening scientific relations, bolstering joint research, and expanding scientific and civilizational talks.

Meanwhile, Iran and Russia will support the implementation of 15 research projects proposed after the third joint call by the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).

Research projects should focus on boosting collaborations among institutions, organizations, universities, and experts will be prioritized, IRNA reported.

The projects that benefit from these capacities and help lay the basis for the expansion of scientific synergy and inter-institutional cooperation will be prioritized.

The grant, amounting to 40 billion rials (some $22,900) for each research project for at most three years, will be allocated to Socio-Economic Challenges (SEC); Artificial Intelligence (AI) Basics; Fundamentals and Development (Trustworthy AI, Reinforced deep learning, Recognitive models); Advanced and Clean Energy Systems (Hydrogen, helium production, Hydrogen and CO2 storage); Smart transport, telecommunications and robotics; Safe Food; Agricultural Bio-Technology; and Smart healthcare and medicine.

The two organizations have also extended the deadline for submitting joint scientific research from June 6 to 29.

In November 2025,  during a meeting held between Iranian and Russian officials, the two sides explored avenues to expand scientific and technological collaborations between the universities of the two countries.

Masoud Shams-Bakhsh, deputy minister of science, research and technology, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Pankin Aleksandr Anatolievitch, met on the sidelines of the 43rd Session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 30 to November 13, IRIB reported.

During the meeting, they underscored fostering joint efforts in various fields like emerging technologies, basic sciences, engineering, space technology, artificial intelligence, transportation, energy, environment, earth sciences, oceanography, health, and medicine.

Teaching Persian and Russian languages in reciprocal countries, exchanging professors and students, and boosting interactions between category 2 institutes and centres under the auspices of UNESCO, creative cities, and learning cities were among other areas of discussion.