Manama: Kuwait’s Higher Education Minister Bader Al Eisa has denied reports that he had asked Iran to set up a joint university.
“The reports published by some media are baseless and lack credibility,” the minister said. “The meeting with the Iranian minister of science, research and technology Mohammad Farhadi did not refer at all to such a plan, and was part of the deliberations that delegations participating at the Unesco conference hold with one another on the sidelines,” Al Eisa said from France where he is making a working visit.
The Iranian news agency Irna reported that the Kuwaiti minister of higher education had called for setting up a joint university with Iran on Friday.
“The Kuwaiti minister was speaking during a meeting with Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Farhadi on the sidelines of the 38th session of Unesco’s General Conference under way in Paris,” the news agency said.
“The Iranian minister welcomed the call made by his Kuwaiti counterpart, adding that it requires further discussions by both sides.”
Referring to Iran’s higher education capacities, Farhadi said that Tehran is ready to cooperate with Kuwait City on joint scientific and technological projects, Irna added.
However, Al Eisa told Kuwaiti daily Al Rai that it was the Iranians who had called for setting up a joint university. He said that Farhadi had requested his approval on setting up a private university in Kuwait to be managed by the Iranian government.
“He did not share with me the details,” he said, quoted by Al Rai. “I know that Iran had presented a request that is still being considered by the ministry of foreign affairs, and no decision has been made. I personally believe there should be more details about the university and its colleges,” he said.
