TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Science, 
Research and Technology has announced that a branch of the University of Tehran will soon begin operating in Iraq, offering 14 academic programs, following approval by the Iraqi government.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony at University of Science and Technology on Tuesday, Hussein Simaei-Sarraf said the university would begin operations in Iraq in the near future.
“God willing, the University of Tehran’s branch will soon begin operating in Iraq with 14 academic programs,” he said, adding that the initiative had received approval from the Iraqi government.
Emphasizing the importance of international academic and cultural exchanges, the minister said education contributes to the promotion of peace, ethics and tolerance, particularly when it extends beyond national borders.
“Through this process, we learn from students and countries around the world while also sharing our own knowledge and experience with them,” he said.
Simaei-Sarraf expressed hope that academic cooperation between Iran and other countries would continue to expand.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s Ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdul-Zahra al-Hajjaj, confirmed the approval of the University of Tehran’s branch in Najaf while speaking at the same ceremony.
He also expressed hope that branches of Sharif University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology would be established in Iraq in the future.
Hajjaj said cooperation in technology could also be strengthened by fostering closer links between technology organizations and moving beyond the exchange of experiences toward the implementation of joint projects.
“The Republic of Iraq is ready to develop its scientific relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of shared interests and forward-looking academic cooperation,” he said.