Iran Mounts ‘Scientific Incursion’ into Syria’s Public Universities

A Syrian-Iranian scientific agreement was signed in Damascus (SANA)
A Syrian-Iranian scientific agreement was signed in Damascus (SANA)
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Iran Mounts ‘Scientific Incursion’ into Syria’s Public Universities

A Syrian-Iranian scientific agreement was signed in Damascus (SANA)
A Syrian-Iranian scientific agreement was signed in Damascus (SANA)

Syria’s Damascus University and Iran’s Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research have signed an agreement for exchanging scientific databases and research achievements. The pact also included establishing a business incubator and a science and technology park at Damascus University.

According to the Syrian Ministry of Higher Education, the agreement was signed in the presence of Minister of Higher Education of Syria Bassam Ibrahim and Hamid Reza Tayyebi, the president of the Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research.

The agreement aims to enhance cooperation in the field of exchanging books, publications, scientific materials, bulletins, and periodicals. It also seeks mutual benefit from e-libraries and organizing joint scientific and cultural conferences and seminars.

About a month ago, Iran’s Malek-Ashtar University of Technology and Damascus University signed an MoU in the field of research and graduate studies, especially in the areas of industries, technical sciences, mechanics, robotics, and computer sciences.

In Syria, there are branches of six Iranian universities. There is a branch for Al-Mustafa International University, which is one of the largest university-style seminary institutes in Iran. It was founded in 1972 and its branch in Syria opened in 2013 with three divisions in the governorates of Aleppo, Latakia and Damascus.

The other five universities had opened their campuses in Syria after the outbreak of the civil war in 2011.

Syrian opposition members note that Iran is seeking more influence over Syria’s public education sector, especially after Russia’s 2015 military intervention in the war-torn country.

Russia had imposed teaching the Russian language as a second language in Syrian public schools.

Russia’s moves had prompted Iran to compete in entering the Syrian public education sector after its interest was focused on spreading Shiism and teaching the Persian language through private Sharia schools.

In Damascus alone, there are 40 schools supervised by the Ministry of Endowments, Hussainiyas and the Great Prophet Center.

“As the regime regained control over large areas in 2018, especially in the countryside of Aleppo, Iran infiltrated the government education sector,” said a Syrian opposition source.

“A cooperation agreement was signed in 2020 that includes the restoration of schools, the printing of books, and the development and support of vocational and technical education,” they added.

The number of schools that Iran has restored and rehabilitated has reached about 250 schools, at the cost of SYP 12 billion (approximately $3 million).

An Iranian scientific delegation headed by Tayyebi visited the city of Homs earlier this week.

The delegation toured Al-Baath University, where it inspected laboratories and research centers in the Faculties of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

During discussions with the President of Al-Baath University, Al-Abd Al-Basit Al-Khatib, the delegation reviewed the signing of a joint scientific cooperation agreement that includes the medical, engineering, and agricultural fields.

Local media quoted Al-Khatib as saying that Al-Baath University aspires to redouble joint efforts with the Iranians.

The president said that his university also aspires to enhance the exchange of expertise between Syrian and Iranian universities in conducting scientific research, training, and qualification.



Iran Criticizes G7 Warnings on Nuclear Escalation

This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's Natanz nuclear site near Natanz, Iran, on April 14, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's Natanz nuclear site near Natanz, Iran, on April 14, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
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Iran Criticizes G7 Warnings on Nuclear Escalation

This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's Natanz nuclear site near Natanz, Iran, on April 14, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's Natanz nuclear site near Natanz, Iran, on April 14, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Iran called upon the Group of Seven on Sunday to distance itself from “destructive policies of the past,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said, referring to a G7 statement condemning Iran's recent nuclear program escalation.

On Friday, the G7 warned Iran against advancing its nuclear enrichment program and said they would be ready to enforce new measures if Tehran were to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia.

“Any attempt to link the war in Ukraine to the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Russia is an act with only biased political goals,” Kanaani said, according to Reuters. He added that some countries are “resorting to false claims to continue sanctions” against Iran.

Last week, the UN nuclear watchdog's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution calling on Iran to step up cooperation with the watchdog and reverse its recent barring of inspectors.

Iran responded by rapidly installing extra uranium-enriching centrifuges at its Fordow site and begun setting up others, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report.

Kanaani added Tehran would continue its “constructive interaction and technical cooperation” with the IAEA, but called its resolution “politically biased.”

He then claimed that his country is playing a constructive and stabilizing role in establishing lasting security in the region.

“Iran will act decisively in protecting and defending its national security and interests against any uncalculated behavior or actions,” the spokesman noted.

Kanaani then highlighted the illegal actions of the US and the three European countries as the root and main cause of the current situation, and said that proving goodwill and avoiding futile politically motivated actions are essential for addressing the mutual concerns of all parties.

France, Germany and Britain on Saturday condemned, in a joint statement, “Iran’s latest steps, as reported by the IAEA, to further expand its nuclear program.”

The statement noted that “Iran is legally obliged under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to fully implement its safeguards agreement, which is separate to the JCPOA.”

The three allies said “Iran has taken further steps in hollowing out the JCPOA, by operating dozens of additional advanced centrifuges at the Natanz enrichment site as well as announcing it will install thousands more centrifuges at both its Fordow and Natanz sites.”

The joint statement stressed that “Iran’s decision to substantially increase its production capacity at the underground Fordow facility is especially concerning.”

Germany, France and Britain also said it was unacceptable that Iran presented its measures as a reaction to the resolution, according to AFP.

“These measures will again increase Iran's stock of enriched uranium and enrichment capacity, whose levels have already surpassed the limits set" by the 2015 deal,” they said.

But the three allies reiterated their commitment to a diplomatic solution preventing Tehran developing a nuclear weapon.