Jafar Towfighi Darian, Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, visited ICTP on 22 November to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Centre that calls for (1) the creation of two joint postdoctoral positions cosponsored by ICTP and the Ministry in basic physics and mathematics; (2) the expansion of the existing federation agreement between ICTP and Isfahan University of Technology to include an additional university; and (3) the admission of up to two Ph.D. students each year in a ’sandwich’ programme funded jointly by ICTP and the Ministry. ICTP and the Ministry also agreed to explore the establishment of cooperative regional activities.