Iran and Iraq: Unlocking the Potential for Scientific Collaboration through Education

The Iranian Deputy Science Minister, Vahid Haddadi-Asl, has announced that Iraq has the highest number of foreign nationals studying in Iran. This information was shared during a meeting between Haddadi-Asl and the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran, Mohammad-Ali Zolfigol. The main responsibility of Nader Nourmohammadi, who has been appointed as the science attaché in Iraq by Zolfigol, is to identify scientific capacities and facilities in Iraq and foster scientific connections and cooperation with universities and research institutions in Iran.

Naeem Al-Aboudi, the Iraqi Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, mentioned in May 2023 that many Iraqi youths are interested in pursuing higher education in Iran. He emphasized the high demand for studying in Iran among Iraqi students due to the friendly and neighboring relationship between the two countries. Currently, around 75,000 Iraqi nationals are studying in Iranian universities, showing the strong academic ties between the two nations.

During their meeting in Tehran between Al-Aboudi and Zolfigol, they highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of science and research. They agreed that detailed planning and forming special working groups are necessary to boost cooperation. Zolfigol also emphasized the need for joint scientific exchanges and holding joint seminars between Iran and Iraq to further strengthen collaboration.