ISLAMABAD:Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini called on the Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain here in his office on Wednesday.

Senior officials of the ministry including Secretary Education Ms Naheed S. Durrani, representatives from HEC and NAVTTC also attended the meeting. Rana Tanveer Hussain welcomed the Iranian delegation and said that the two countries have cultural, linguistic and people to people love for each other.

He said Persian language is the mother of Urdu and has deep roots in Pakistan. He discussed exchange of expertise and knowledge regarding Vocational and Technical Training. He said the two countries can benefit from the experience of each other.

Rana Tanveer welcomed the exchange of teachers and students to further mutual cooperation especially for Skilled Vocational Training. He said there is significant potential in cooperation between the two countries. He said Pakistan can learn from the expertise of Iran in Engineering, Nanotechnology and Aerospace technology.

The Minister said Pakistan is willing to offer scholarships to Iranian students in order to enhance mutual collaboration. Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that people of Iran have deep affiliation with Pakistan. He said people have a lot of respect for Allama Iqbal as numerous bridges and roads are named after him. He said that Pakistan is brotherly country for Iran. He said University to University cooperation and Technical Institution to Technical Institution collaboration is the way forward.

He said the University of Tehran is willing to make a Technology/IT Park in Islamabad. He said MoUs should be expedited between Pakistani and Iranian Universities to enhance exchanges. The envoy said that Iran and Pakistan have a border of 900 km and both countries should take advantage of that to strengthen each other.

Rana Tanveer Hussain said the future is in Vocational Training of the population of Pakistan. He said it provides the best opportunity to the people to find jobs. He said Pakistan and Iran through NAVTTC should exchange teachers and students to learn from the expertise of each other. Rana Tanveer praised the current government’s efforts in modernizing the education system of Pakistan.

The Minister thanked the Ambassador and highlighted the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries since 1947. He said Iran was the first country to recognize the state of Pakistan. He said the two countries have shared history and literature. He said there is a bonhomie between the two people. He said the two countries should enhance and fine tune their mutual relations.