Iran Seeking to Transfer Know-How, Technology to Africa: FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Accompanying President Ebrahim Raisi during his visit to Africa, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said that his country is keen on exporting technical know-how and technology to the African states.
"Iran's view on Africa is quite different from that of neo-colonialism or its older version," the top Iranian diplomat said in exclusive remarks to Press TV in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Thursday.
"We seek to transfer technology to Africa and empower the continent," Amirabdollahian added.
President Raeisi's sojourn in Zimbabwe comprised the last leg of his three-nation tour of Africa that had already taken him to Kenya and Uganda.
The foreign minister's remarks concerning Iran's inclination towards technological cooperation with Africa were evidenced by Iran and Zimbabwe's signing of, what Raeisi's Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa described as, "a record" of 12 agreements on topics ranging from energy to telecommunications.
The two countries also signed cooperation agreements for energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications as well as research, science, and technology projects.
The Iranian president's visit to Kenya featured Iran's showcasing two domestically-manufactured agricultural and mapping drones for possible trade and export to the African country.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the foreign minister went on to expand on two major areas of commonality between the Islamic Republic and African states.
"African people and their leaders are now quite sensitive on protecting their independence. This is among commonalities between Iran and African nations," he said.
"Another issue of equal importance for Iran and Africa is the US sanctions regime. With Africa's assistance, we should prevent the US and certain states that still have a colonial mindset from utilizing the deadly tool of sanctions against nations."