According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, pointed out the progress made in Iran in the science and technology field, especially nanotechnology, stating: soon, an equipped Iranian laboratory will be established in Cuba, which is hoped to start a new chapter of joint scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.

He added: Iran has had great relations with Cuba. Last year, I traveled to this country for the first time was very impressed by its culture.

Sattari also expressed: we hope that the presence of the Cuban delegation in Iran leads to an appropriate view of technological abilities of Iran and effective collaborations in the nano and bio technologies and stem cells.

Pointing out the preparedness of Iran to increase scientific and technological cooperation with Cuba, Sattari affirmed: we hope that technological exchanges and interactions between the two countries be expanded similar to past and with an accelerated pace.

Joint production of five-in-one and six-in-one vaccines by Iran and Cuba

During the ceremony, Roberto Morales Ojeda, Minister of Public Health of Cuba, first expressed his condolences to damaged people of Kermanshah due to the latest earthquake and stated: Iran and Cuba have initiated a new chapter of bilateral political collaborations.

Mentioning the travel of the Iranian president to Cuba, he announced its positive results and achievements, affirming: we hope that a new chapter be initiated in the interactions between the Iranian and Cuban delegations and joint scientific cooperation agreements be signed between the two countries with an accelerated pace.

He also asserted: our goal of traveling to Iran is expanding the provisions of common memoranda on health, so that operational programs could be allocated to this field to increase the pace of projects.

Ojeda mentioned the unbreakable bond of brotherhood and friendship between Iran and Cuba, asserting: Iran and Cuba have several mutual political positions. However, collaborations of the two countries in various scientific and technological fields must be expanded.

The health minister of Cuba continued: one of the cooperation fields between Iran and Cuba is the production of five-in-one and six-in-one vaccines by Pasteur Institute of Iran and Cuban Biofarm Institute. While this joint project has been initiated, its progress is slow, which is hoped to be accelerated soon.

He also announced the elimination of problem of re-registering of medications produced by Cuba in Iran, marking: at the beginning of 2018, a Cuban delegation will travel to Iran to eliminate the problem of re-registration of Cuban medications in Iran.

The health minister of Cuba continued: some medications are produced in Cuba that are appropriate for patients of Iran. There are also proper medications manufactured in Iran which are demanded in Cuba. Therefore, we can supply medications for each other.

He also considered the advancements in area of stem cells and regenerative medicine in Cuba to be favorable.

During the meeting, the health minister of Cuba requested the development of medical collaborations between Iran and Cuba, noting: we hope that the pace of measures taken to operationalize the agreements and realize the determined goals will be accelerated in the future.

He continued: Cuba has been able to produce a medication with 70% positive impact on decreased occurrence of amputation in diabetic patients. The experiences in this field could be transferred to Iran.

Production of Joint Biotechnological Medications between Iran and Cuba

During this visit, Mostafa Ghanei, the secretary of biotechnology development headquarter, mentioned the proper enhancement of cooperation between Iran and Cuba in the field of biotechnological medications in the past four years, stating: some joint cooperation agreements have been signed in this field, which has led to proper collaborations in this area.

Secretary of biotechnology development headquarter announced the production of 20 new biotechnological medications in the next three years.

Activity of 16 Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center in Iran

Amir Ali Hamidieh, secretary of stem cells science and technology development headquarter, expressed: the medical future of the world depends on the development of stem cells and use of regenerative medicine. In this regard, proper collaborations have been made between Iran and Cuba.

He also affirmed: more than 50 academic research centers conduct studies on stem cells and tissue engineering, and more than 60 knowledge-based companies produce various products from culture to cell production stages.

The secretary of stem cells science and technology development headquarter continued: it seems that a new door has been opened in the medical relations between Iran and Cuba, and Iran is completely ready to cooperate with Cuba in the field of stem cells.