National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ visits a photo exhibition featuring 50 years of the Việt Nam-Iran relations including documentary photos sourced from Vietnam News Agency. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

TEHRAN — National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ on Wednesday visited and delivered a speech “Việt Nam - Iran cooperation for peace and development” at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), as part of his ongoing official visit to Iran.

Huệ said that Việt Nam and Iran share the aspiration to promote cooperation for peace and development on the basis of effective bilateral political-diplomatic relations.

Towards a future of peace and development with a vision for the next 50 years for the bilateral relationship, he proposed the two sides work together to strengthen their connectivity in four aspects, namely dialogue and cooperation mechanisms; digital, science technology and transport; trade and investment; and people-to-people exchanges, especially between young generations.

Việt Nam is implementing its policy of multilateralisation and diversification and is willing to be a trustworthy friend and partner of all countries around the world for peace, friendship, cooperation and development, he highlighted, stressing Việt Nam never forgets the past but is also ready to close the past to look towards the future, and jointly build a truly equal partnership on the basis of respect for territorial integrity, political institutions and non-interference in internal affairs of each other.

Those are immutable principles. No matter how the world changes, Việt Nam remains steadfast in its stance, stated the Vietnamese top legislator.

NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ witnesses the signing of a memorandum of understanding on plant quarantine between the two countries’ agencies. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

On this occasion, Huệ witnessed the signing of various cooperation agreements between ministries and agencies of both sides.

Earlier, the NA Chairman joined Iranian officials to launch a photo exhibition featuring 50 years of Việt Nam-Iran relations.

On the same day, he visited the Iran House of Innovation and Technology (IHIT) in Tehran.

Welcoming Huệ and the Vietnamese NA delegation, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and IHIT leaders affirmed that Việt Nam is one of the important partners of Iran in the region, and showed their hope to continue to reinforce and boost cooperation with Việt Nam in all fields, especially economy, trade, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

They highlighted innovation, science and technology cooperation as the top priority in the partnership between the two countries.

IHIT leaders also expressed interest to promote the agency’s collaboration with Vietnam in technology and innovation.

The Vietnamese NA leader underlined that Việt Nam is paying great attention to digital transformation and the digital economy and striving to turn research institutions and universities into innovation hubs.

IHIT leaders said they hope Việt Nam and Iran will exploit their cooperation potential in high technology, innovation, nanotechnology, biotechnology, as well as satellite microelectronics research.

Following the Vietnamese NA leader’s suggestion, IHIT will make a plan to strengthen research and update on Việt Nam’s science-technology and innovation areas.

Huệ pledged that the NA and Government of Việt Nam will always accompany and create all favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including those from Iran, to effectively operate in Việt Nam.

The IHIT is one of the leading regional organisations for the research, promotion and export of innovative and high-tech Iranian products and services. Currently, it has branches in China, Russia, Türkiye, Kenya and Syria, providing infrastructure and platforms, and connecting businesses, investors, researchers, producers and start-ups in the field of technology and innovation.

Việt Nam Culture Week

The Vietnam Culture Week kicked off in Iran on Wednesday night (local time), with the attendance of NA Chairman Huệ.

The event, jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran and some Iranian agencies, marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries (1973-2023).

The programme features a photo exhibition and a film week on the land and people of Việt Nam.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoàng Đạo Cương said the exhibition is expected to help Iranian people understand more about Vietnamese culture and find similarities with their own.

In his remarks, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili noted prospects for the two countries to enhance their cooperation in culture, arts, and cinema.

With their advanced positions in the regions and great potential for cooperation, the relationship between the two countries is likely to see further developments, for the sake of their peoples, he stressed.

According to the official, the two culture ministries will consider signing a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation in the time ahead. — VNS