Iran, Indonesia tout new cooperation line based on technological capabilities
The Iranian vice president for science, technology and knowledge-based economy, in a ceremony marking the Indonesian National Day on Monday in Tehran, emphasized the necessity to expand cooperation between Iran and Indonesia, especially in the field of science and technology.
Ruhollah Dehghani congratulated the Indonesian people on the country’s National Day, saying, “Centuries ago, the people of the two countries established deep ties through the religion of Islam and the interactions have been well preserved during the past centuries.”
He added: “As an active, effective and leading member of important international and regional organizations and institutions such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Indonesia has a special place in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The Iranian vice president noted that trade exchange volume between the two countries has hit the one-billion-dollar mark and added there are irreplaceable opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the field of science and technology.
Iran’s technological capabilities, especially in the field of medicine and the industrial potentials in Indonesia, have become the basis for the formation of a new line in the relations between the two countries in such a way that the Iranian and Indonesian presidents are personally pursuing the implementation of deals in this field, Dehghani said.
He continued, “Implementing the capacity of the scientific and research centers of both sides and the exchange program of experts should be seriously pursued so Iranian and Indonesian scientists, as smart bridges, can make the relationship between the two countries stronger both in terms of technology and innovation and economically.”
The Republic of Indonesia’s Ambassador to Iran Ronny Prasetyo Yuliantoro also addressed the ceremony, saying: “The deep cultural and historical commonalities and ties between Iran and Indonesia have turned into a dynamic partnership in various sectors, including trade, culture, education and exchanges between people.”
Yuliantoro referred to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Indonesia last May, saying that the leaders of both countries are committed to boosting bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of medicine, science and technology.
