TEHRAN -- Two Spanish universities intend to boost their cultural and academic ties with Iran.

Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Extremadura in western Spain propose to increase academic cooperation with Iranian universities, the Iranian cultural attaché in Madrid, Seyyed Ahmad Khezri, said on June 21. Khezri held a meeting last week with officials of Complutense University. He reported that proposed collaborative efforts include the publication of books, holding seminars and a roundtable on Rumi, increasing interaction between the two countries’ students and holding refresher courses on Persian. Khezri also met Juan Francisco Duque-Carrillo, president of the University of Extremadura in Cacerec and they discussed cooperation between universities. The Iranian cultural attaché noted that the highlights of the joint activities would be Iran’s film week, discussions concerning dialogue between civilizations, exchanges of professors and students between universities and conducting joint research projects. He said that Iran’s universities would help to extend and improve Persian courses in Spanish universities and establish a Persian department in the University of Extremadura. Iran will extend cultural ties with other universities in Spain in the near future, he concluded