The Minister of Information and Communications Technology Seyed Sattar Hashemi has expressed Iran’s support for Algeria’s candidacy for membership in the Council of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and called on Algeria to support Iran’s proposed documents and resolutions at the union’s Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (PP-26).
Hashemi and Sid Ali Zerrouki,
Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Algeria, met on the sidelines of the
PP-26 in Doha on Thursday, discussing the potential for cooperation
between Tehran and Algiers in the field of ICT.
The two sides discussed
opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation and enhancing interaction
between the two countries in international forums.
Iran’s ICT Minister expressed
concern over the military attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime
of Israel against Iran, condemning these acts of aggression, which have
resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians, including women and children, and
damage to civilian infrastructure and facilities.
Emphasizing the necessity of
respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries and
observing the principles of international humanitarian law, he called for the
international community to adopt a responsible position and take effective
action to prevent the recurrence of such attacks and protect the lives and
security of civilians.
Hashemi also stressed preserving
the specialized, technical, and non-political nature of the International
Telecommunication Union.
“The ITU must focus, within the
framework of its statutory mandates, on developing international cooperation in
the field of information and communications technology and refrain from
politicizing discussions or raising issues beyond the scope of its mandate,” he
noted.
Mutual support at the PP-26
Referring to the two countries’
cooperation within multilateral organizations and mechanisms, the Hashemi
called on the Algerian delegation to support the documents and resolutions
proposed by Iran at the Doha Conference.
He emphasized that these
proposals had been formulated with due consideration for the interests of all
member countries.
He also announced Iran’s support
for Algeria’s candidacy for membership in the Council of the ITU, in view of
the bilateral relations and constructive cooperation between the two countries
in international forums.
The ICT Minister stated that Iran
would cast a positive vote in favor of Algeria’s candidacy in the upcoming
elections.
In another part of the meeting, Hashemi
identified the expansion of operational cooperation in areas such as
communications infrastructure, digital transformation, artificial intelligence,
cybersecurity, and digital government as suitable fields for interaction
between the two countries.
He proposed that, by identifying
the priorities and technical and executive capacities of both sides,
expert-level meetings be held and a specific plan be developed to follow up on
joint projects.
Algeria welcomes Iran’s proposals
Sid Ali Zerrouki, Minister of
Post and Telecommunications of Algeria, welcomed the proposals put forward for
expanding bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the importance of strengthening
specialized interactions between the two countries in the field of information
and communications technology.
He announced Algeria’s readiness
to explore areas of common interest for cooperation.
Referring to the close relations
between the two countries and their existing potential for cooperation in
emerging technologies, Zerrouki welcomed the proposal to hold expert-level
meetings and develop a joint plan.
He stressed the continuation of
consultations to follow up on agreements and strengthen cooperation between
Iran and Algeria.
The Plenipotentiary Conference of
the International Telecommunication Union is being held in Doha, Qatar, from
November 9 to 27, 2026.
It is the highest decision-making
and policymaking body of the ITU and is held every four years with the
participation of representatives of member countries and is responsible for
determining the Union’s future strategies and priorities.
Iran’s ICT Minister is visiting
Doha at the head of a delegation with the aim of strengthening technological
diplomacy, expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and pursuing the
interests of Iran at this international event.
Bilateral meetings with ministers
and senior officials from various countries, as well as exploring opportunities
for cooperation in communications and emerging technologies, are among the main
objectives of this visit.