Iraq has called for the expansion of pharmaceutical interaction and joint investments in healthcare infrastructure with Iran, emphasizing the potential to strengthen bilateral ties in the medical field.
The Iraqi Minister of Health, Abdul Hussein Aziz Al-Musawi, accompanied by deputy ministers, visited Iranian pavilions at the Health Expo Iraq exhibition, which took place from October 28 to 31 at the Baghdad International Fair. According to Mehr News Agency, the Iranian delegation provided Iraqi officials with information about the participation of about 30 Iranian companies, which showcased over 40 product brands across various sectors.
These sectors included pharmaceuticals, food supplements, raw materials, equipment, technology transfer, medical supplies, condensed milk, cosmetics, and hygiene products. During the visit, Al-Musawi highlighted the importance of deepening partnership with Iran, including establishing joint pharmaceutical production facilities, setting up common forums and specialized platforms for healthcare interaction, and expanding the production base with the participation of Iranian firms.
The sixth session of Health Expo Iraq, the country's annual international medical exhibition and congress, offered health goods producers from Iran a valuable opportunity to enter the Iraqi market and increase their business in the neighboring country. The exhibition gathered a wide range of services and products, such as laboratory equipment, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospital consumables, and healthcare services.
Furthermore, seminars, workshops, and panel discussions were held at the exposition, contributing to the exchange of experience and knowledge among industry specialists, as well as the formation of new business contacts. The Iranian delegation organized its pavilions to demonstrate the achievements and products of Iranian science-oriented enterprises, establish links between Iranian and Iraqi experts and stakeholders, conduct B2B meetings, and identify the needs of the Iraqi health market.
Iraq, with a population exceeding 46 million people and a pharmaceutical market valued at $4 billion, is one of the largest healthcare markets in West Asia. The country plans to cover 70 percent of its pharmaceutical needs through domestic production by 2027.
In October, the Iraqi ambassador to Iran, Yasser Abdulzahra Al-Hajjaj, stressed that scientific cooperation between the two states should go beyond attracting students and include joint research projects, the exchange of professors and scientists, and the strengthening of technological ties. He noted that universities serve not only as educational institutions but also as bridges for dialogue and expertise exchange between scientists from different countries, particularly Iran and Iraq.
These statements were made during a national festival held at the Iran University of Science and Technology on October 20. Al-Hajjaj reported that thousands of Iraqi students are studying in more than 80 Iranian universities in medical and non-medical fields. He also mentioned that past two-week scientific and cultural events between Iran and Iraq brought together over 70 or 80 rectors from both nations, and more than 250 memorandums of understanding were signed, indicating the successful development of scientific collaborations.
The ambassador noted that the opening of a branch of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iraq has contributed to stabilizing and advancing academic relations between Iran and Iraq. He expressed hope for the soon opening of branches of Tehran University, Sharif University of Technology, and Iran University of Science and Technology in Iraq.
However, according to an official source, since 85 percent of Iraqi students in Iran are employees who will face difficulties studying abroad under new Iranian legislation, he suggested viewing this situation as an opportunity to revise the model of scientific interaction between the parties, rather than a threat. Otherwise, a possible decrease in the number of Iraqi students in Iran could create new problems.
The Iraqi official called for the implementation of joint research projects in the fields of medicine, agriculture, sand and dust, oil, gas, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Other issues raised included the development of joint curricula and joint supervision of dissertations.
Previously, on October 18, Mohammad Javad Najafi, Iran's advisor for science in Iraq, and Haider Abd Dahed, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Iraq, discussed ways to strengthen academic cooperation between the universities of the two countries, focusing particularly on approaches to problem-solving and meeting domestic and regional needs. The main topics of the meeting were joint research, provision of scholarships, simplification of educational procedures for students, and preparation for the 'Iran-Iraq Third Week of Science'. The parties also discussed conducting joint scientific publications in authoritative international journals.