Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Iran are set to step up cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), and nanotechnology following a series of meetings between Vietnamese Ambassador to Iran Nguyen Luong Ngoc and Iranian officials and research institutions.
During a meeting with Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi, the two sides discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, and ICT in line with the digital transformation and knowledge-based economy development strategies of their countries.
Hashemi highlighted Iran’s significant role in the Gulf region’s digital ecosystem and expressed the country’s readiness to implement AI cooperation programmes with regional partners.
According to the minister, major telecommunications operators and digital service platforms such as Snapp! and Digikala, each serving more than 30 million users, generate rich data resources that are crucial for the development of AI applications.
He also said that despite facing international sanctions, Iran has built a highly adaptive financial technology ecosystem and continues to maintain its momentum in innovation.
Ambassador Ngoc also met with leaders of Iran’s ICT Research Institute, one of the country’s leading centres for digital technology research. Discussions focused on potential cooperation in AI, cybersecurity, information technology, quantum technology, and telecommunications.
At the meeting with the institute’s president, Mohammad-Hossein Sheikhi, both sides stressed the need for a memorandum of understanding to facilitate expert exchanges, knowledge sharing, and stronger links between research centres in the two countries.
Ngoc said greater understanding of each side’s strengths and potential, particularly in AI and information technology, will provide a solid foundation for expanding future cooperation. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran stands ready to help connect Vietnamese research institutes, universities, and technology enterprises with Iranian partners.
Sheikhi introduced the institute’s research capabilities and expressed his hope to strengthen scientific and research cooperation with Vietnamese counterparts.
As part of efforts to promote science and technology partnerships, Ngoc also met with M. Haji Zeinolabedini, Director General for International Cooperation and Export Development at Iran’s ICT Ministry, to discuss opportunities in high technology and innovation.
The ambassador’s meetings are expected to open up new prospects for cooperation in science, technology, and digital transformation while enhancing connectivity between government agencies, research institutes, and technology enterprises of both countries./.
VNA
