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Iran, Syria to Cooperate on Nuclear Energy

Syria and Iran Wednesday signed an agreement of cooperation in various scientific fields including nuclear engineering, the Syrian official news agency SANA reported.   
 
The agreement includes cooperation between universities and research centers in both countries. It also stipulates the establishment of a joint scientific research center, in addition to a joint committee, which would follow up on "executive projects." The agreement was signed by the Syrian Minister of Higher Education ‘Giyath Barakat, and Iran’s Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Muhammad Mahdi Zahidi.  
 
Researchers and experts from both sides will undergo training in various scientific fields and will benefit from knowledge exchange, SANA added.
 
The Kuwaiti newspaper A-Siyasa reported on September 26 that, according to European Union intelligence sources, Syria has launched a nuclear program supervised by scientists from Iran and Iraq. The program had reached its middle stages, A-Siyasa added. Syria denied the report.
 
Deputy Petroleum Minister Dr. Hasan Zeinab told The Media Line his country was not engaged in any such program, but admitted the Syrian government was considering launching a nuclear program "to end the country’s energy concerns."