NAM Science Ministers Meeting Kicks Off in Tehran

(FNA)- The First Meeting of the ministers of science, research and technology of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) opened in Tehran in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday morning.

Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Sourena Sattari and Science, Research and Technology Minister Mohammad Farhadi are also attending the NAM meeting in Tehran.

On Sunday, the Iranian science, research and technology minister held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the NAM member-states.

Farhadi underlined the importance of the meeting of NAM ministers of science, research and technology in Tehran for boosting scientific exchanges among independent states.

"The meeting of the NAM science ministers will pave the way for increasing scientific and technological exchanges among the NAM member-states," Farhadi said in a meeting with his Burundian counterpart Joseph Butore in Tehran on Sunday.

Over 60 science ministers are take part in meeting on Monday and Tuesday.

Iran currently holds the rotating presidency of the NAM.

NAM is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. NAM is the largest grouping of countries outside of the United Nations.

NAM member states represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations' members and comprise 55% of the world population, particularly countries considered to be developing or part of the Third World.

Iran received NAM rotating presidency at the opening ceremony of the NAM summit in Tehran on August 26, 2012 from Egypt for a period of three years.