Swedish MP Calls for Boosting Research Ties With Iran

A senior Swedish lawmaker called for broadening of mutual cooperation with Iran, specially in the field of research, AVA Diplomatic reports.

Head of the Research Service of the Swedish parliament Gunnar Fors underlined the need for boosting relations between the Swedish and Iranian research centers.

“During my visit to Iran I met senior Iranian officials and discussed cooperation in the field of research with them,” Fors added.

The senior Swedish lawmaker also called for development cooperation between Tehran and Stockholm in other fields as well.

In a relevant development on Saturday, Tehran and Stockholm signed several agreements to broaden their mutual cooperation in different areas.

A sum of five cooperation pacts were signed between Iran and Sweden in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in Tehran.

The agreements covered the areas of technology, research, roads, communications and women affairs.

The Swedish prime minister, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Tehran on Friday evening.

After the welcoming ceremony, the two sides started bilateral talks.

In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Swedish Ambassador to Tehran Helena Sangeland underlined that banking problems between her country and Iran will be discussed during the Löfven’s visit to the Iranian capital.

“The prime minister will arrive in Iran on February 10 and will leave Tehran on February 12. He will be accompanied by 20 companies and the Swedish trade minister will also be present in the trip,” Sangeland said.

Noting that 90 people will accompany the Swedish premier during the Iran visit, she said, “We hope to sign agreements on higher education, women, family, ICT, road building and transportation affairs.”

“The Swedish government is also willing to find a solution to the financial and banking problems. The banking issues will also be discussed with the Iranian side during the prime minister’s visit to Tehran,” Sangeland said.

The Swedish envoy had also said in December that Löfven “will lead a high-ranking economic delegation to Iran in February 2017”.

“Löfven makes foreign trips only twice a year and one trip for 2017 will be dedicated to Iran indicating the importance of bilateral ties with Tehran,” she said.

Also, in early November, Sangeland underlined her country’s eagerness to revive economic interactions with Iran to the pre-sanctions era when Tehran was Stockholm’s biggest trade partner in the region.

“The nuclear deal (between Iran and the world powers) was highly important and opened a new chapter in relations with Iran. Before the sanctions, Iran was Sweden’s greatest trade partner in the region and after the removal of the sanctions, there are new potentials for bolstering the economic and trade ties between Sweden and Iran and we hope that Iran will become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to further facilitate trade,” Sangeland said.