ANKARA, Sunday, June 28, 2026 (WNP): Iran and Türkiye have agreed to strengthen cooperation in science, higher education and research, with senior officials from both countries emphasizing the importance of joint academic initiatives, educational exchanges and collaboration on emerging technologies.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, and Türkiye’s Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin, held on the sidelines of the Turkish Educational Technologies Summit (TETZ) on Sunday.

During the talks, the two ministers reviewed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation through joint scientific research projects, academic partnerships and exchanges between educational institutions.

Simaei-Sarraf highlighted the impact of the recent conflict involving Iran, referring to attacks on Iranian academic and research institutions. He also stressed the importance of upholding ethical responsibility in the development and application of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).

The Iranian minister underscored the need for greater international cooperation in higher education and formally invited Minister Tekin to visit Iran’s universities and research institutions to further strengthen academic ties.

For his part, Tekin expressed solidarity with Iran following the recent attacks and criticized what he described as the West’s selective approach to human rights issues.

The Turkish minister reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to expanding educational cooperation with Tehran and welcomed efforts to deepen collaboration in research, innovation and academic development.

Both sides agreed to pursue closer institutional cooperation through joint research initiatives, educational exchange programs and broader collaboration in higher education, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between Iran and Türkiye in the fields of science, technology and education.