Iran's Foreign Minister has criticized the current technological apartheid exercised by more advanced countries against third world nations.

Manouchehr Mottaki met on Saturday with Weixi Gong, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) new envoy in Tehran and underlined Iran's readiness to transfer its technological and scientific capabilities to regional countries.

He further warned of an ever-widening technological gap between the first and third world nations in case UNIDO failed to provide the much-needed framework for science and technology sharing in the world.

"UNIDO's cooperation with Group 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement (as two influential international actors) could give the organization a more pronounced presence in the Third World."

Meanwhile, the UN official lauded Iran's highly expert human resources and said UNIDO sought to boost scientific cooperation with Tehran.

The Vienna-based UN body, which was established in 1966, pursues the objective of promoting and accelerating the industrial development in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

MRJ/IS