TEHRAN -- Iran and Syria have called for enhanced scientific and cultural cooperation in order to confront "current challenges facing the Islamic world."

The call was made during a meeting between Chancellor of Iranian Technical Amir Kabir University Ahmad Fahimifar and Syrian Head of Damascus University Hani Morteza in Damascus on Sunday.

The two sides also demanded that scientific and cultural cooperation, especially exchange of experience in engineering, medical and computer fields, to be boosted, IRNA reported.

"Cooperation among scientific institutes of the Islamic world, in particular, universities of Iran and Syria, is of high importance," Morteza stressed.

He pointed to his last visit to Amir Kabir University and described the progress made in industrial and engineering fields in the university as eye-catching. He also called for the transfer of the Iranian university's experience in the mentioned fields to Damascus University.

Fahimifar, for his part, pointed to long-standing scientific and cultural cooperation between Tehran and Damascus and expressed Amir Kabir University's readiness to cooperate with Damascus University on exchange of experience, especially in the technical and engineering fields.

Fahimifar, heading a scientific delegation, arrived in Syria Friday night and is scheduled to meet with Syrian Minister of Higher Education Hasan Risha. He will also visit Damascus universities and confer with their heads during his one-week tour.