Iran Proposes Joint AI Centre with Iraq on Gulf Island
Hussein Afshin, Assistant to the Iranian President for Scientific and Technical Affairs and the Knowledge Economy, has reportedly proposed establishing a joint Iran-Iraq artificial intelligence (AI) centre on one of Iran's islands.
Speaking during a meeting in Tehran with Ali Razzouqi, Deputy Head of the Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Afshin is quoted as called for moving beyond memoranda of understanding towards practical planning and implementation, suggesting that the historical ties between Iran and Iraq could support long-term scientific collaboration.
According to Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Razzouqi welcomed the proposal, referencing previous cooperation between Sharif University and the University of Baghdad. He underlined the importance of AI as a tool to address broader challenges, including water, energy, agriculture, and environmental issues.
Topics discussed for future collaboration included military technologies, cloud seeding, and responses to climate change and dust storms.
(Source: IRNA)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Memri
4 days ago
- Memri
Telegram Outlets Linked To Iran-Backed Militias Publish Posters Asserting Iran's Nuclear Capability, Despite Recent U.S. Airstrikes
Telegram channels affiliated with Iran-backed Axis of the Islamic Resistance have published posters indicating that Iran's nuclear program retained significant strength despite recent U.S. airstrikes targeting its nuclear reactors. These airstrikes, conducted on June 25, 2025, aimed to disrupt Iran's nuclear facilities amid escalating tensions in the region following Iran's continued enrichment of uranium. The posters attempt to assert Iran's resilience and nuclear capability despite recent U.S. airstrikes, and to spread doubt among adversaries about the effectiveness of those strikes. The "Mujaz" Telegram channel released a 15-second clip on June 27, showing a pair of hands reaching upward toward a glowing, ethereal light with mathematical equations and scientific symbols floating between them. The equations include Albert Einstein's energy formula "E = mc2," along with various constants and variables. At the top, Arabic text reads: "The nuclear program is Iran's striking power in the future." [1] On June 26, the channel also shared a second poster featuring three rockets against the backdrop of the Iranian flag, with Arabic text stating: "It is possible that some of Iran's enriched uranium survived, and that a large part of Iran's missile arsenal still exists, and the Iranians, known for their prowess at playing chess, will try to use it." The text references a columnist, Afi Peskharov, writing in an Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth.[2] Additionally, "The Iranian Military Capacities," a channel linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published, on June 26, a poster depicting armed, masked operatives gaurding scientists working in a lab and eying a clock while a pair of hands sign a document.[3] The poster implies that Tehran is planning an operation that involves scientists in the near future.
Memri
24-06-2025
- Memri
Chinese Social Media Video Speculates that Recent Iranian Cargo Flight Carried Chinese Air Defense Components, Drone Systems, or Precision Machining Equipment
On June 1, 2025, user 'Rotating Mu.e2' on the Chinese social media platform Haokan shared a video titled 'Iran's Il-76 Flew to China, Turned Off Transponder to Conceal Its Route - What Goodies Did It Bring This Time?' In the video, the narrator gave an overview of military-technical cooperation between China and Iran dating back to the Iran-Iraq war, during which he said China exported J-7 fighter jets and C-802 anti-ship missiles to Iran. He elaborated that in 2016, the two countries signed a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement, expanding their relationship to high-level joint development and technology sharing. The narrator speculated regarding the technologies or weapon systems that the Iranian Il-76 might have been carrying, including air defense system components, drone systems, or precision machining equipment, adding: 'The democratization of technology will reshape the power structure of the 21st century.'
Iraq Business
24-06-2025
- Iraq Business
Netaj Launches Nawat: "Iraq's First VC Studio"
By John Lee. Netaj -- a Baghdad-based innovation firm that offers venture support, strategic consulting, and capability-building for entrepreneurs and institutions -- has announced the official launch of Nawat, which it describes as the country's first-ever Venture Capital (VC) Studio. According to a press release, Nawat is designed to identify, support, and invest in high-potential Iraqi startups through a tailored 6-month journey that combines mentorship, product development, market access, and funding readiness. Wissam Mattout (pictured), CEO of Netaj, said: "Nawat is a movement to reimagine how startups are built and backed in Iraq. We are bridging the gap between raw talent and structured capital, offering founders a launchpad to scale both locally and globally. "For too long, Iraqi entrepreneurs have had to build in isolation. Nawat will equip them with the expertise, tools, and capital they need, not just to survive, but to lead the next wave of innovation in the region." The studio is open to 40 startups, segmented across three tracks: Ideation stage MVP/Prototype stage Early-established startups Each startup receives customized support, including expert-led bootcamps, one-on-one consultations, mentorship from industry veterans, and direct access to investors through demo days and curated matchmaking. "This is Iraq's moment," said Mattout. "If we want to build serious startups, we need serious infrastructure. Nawat is the missing puzzle piece - designed for founders, by founders." Nawat offers a hybrid investment model, combining: In-kind investment (product development, branding, digital tools) valued between $10K-$25K. Direct financial investment ranging from $25K-$250K using convertible notes or equity. Netaj aims to invest in the top 5 to 10 startups that demonstrate traction, scalability, and founder commitment to operational growth. (Source:
