Iran and Iraq agree to expand scientific and cultural cooperation

Iran and Iraq have agreed to broaden their scientific and cultural cooperation following a meeting in Baghdad between Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, and the head of Iraq's Bayt al-Hikma institution.

The meeting, held during the Iranian minister's visit to Iraq, was attended by Iran's deputy science minister and Ehsan Eghbal, the Islamic Republic of Iran's cultural counselor in Baghdad. Bayt al-Hikma, one of Iraq's leading scientific and research institutions affiliated with the prime minister's office, is modeled after the historic House of Wisdom in Baghdad. The institution plays a key role in strategic research, humanities studies, and the organization of scientific and cultural events.

During the meeting, the head of Bayt al-Hikma welcomed the Iranian minister and underscored the institution's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Iranian universities and research institutions. He identified the exchange of scientific experience, joint publication of research, organization of conferences and academic meetings, and greater use of the expertise of researchers from both countries as priorities for future cooperation.

For his part, the Iranian minister thanked Iraqi officials for their warm hospitality and described Bayt al-Hikma's role in promoting scientific and cultural ties between Iran and Iraq as valuable. He said joint scientific and cultural programs organized in recent years had created suitable opportunities for professors, researchers and scholars from both countries to interact and exchange views in various scientific and research fields.

The two sides concluded the meeting by reaffirming their commitment to maintaining close contacts, broadening cooperation among universities, research centers and think tanks, and planning joint scientific and cultural initiatives to address the region's intellectual, cultural and scientific challenges.

According to Mehr News Agency, the visit underscores the ongoing efforts by both countries to deepen bilateral ties in the scientific and cultural spheres.