RRI.CO.ID, Semarang - Central Java is taking concrete steps to expand its international economic network, exploring multi-sectoral partnerships with the Islamic Republic of Iran that span high-tech agriculture, medical science, trade, and Muslim-friendly tourism.

The strategic move was outlined during an official courtesy visit by the Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Boroujerdi, who met with Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi at the gubernatorial office in Semarang on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Beyond trade, the two parties discussed establishing formal sister-city and sister-province frameworks to solidify long-term bilateral ties.

Ahmad Luthfi revealed that discussions focused heavily on establishing a sister-city partnership between Semarang and the historic Iranian city of Yazd, alongside broader sister-province initiatives connecting Central Java with regional Iranian jurisdictions.

"We discussed the sister city initiative between Semarang and Yazd City, as well as the potential for a sister province relationship between Central Java and a province in Iran," Luthfi said on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He emphasized that Iran possesses distinct technological advantages that could facilitate crucial knowledge transfer to boost Central Java's local productivity.

In particular, the governor highlighted Iran’s advanced dairy farming technology, which achieves yields of up to 30 liters of milk per cow daily, significantly outpacing Central Java’s current average of 10 to 15 liters. Additionally, Central Java is eager to leverage Iranian expertise in agricultural drone technology, advanced medical technologies, and higher education models.

"If their technology is more advanced and can be applied in Central Java, it will certainly increase the community's productivity. That is what we want to learn," Luthfi added.

While economic relations between the two regions are established, official data indicates substantial room for growth, particularly in foreign direct investment. In 2025, Central Java’s non-oil and gas exports to Iran reached approximately USD 7.43 million, maintaining a trade balance surplus for the province.

However, realization of Iranian investment in Central Java from 2022 through the first quarter of 2026 stood at approximately IDR 612 million, ranking Iran 59th among the province’s foreign investor origin countries. "Iran's investment in Central Java is mostly concentrated in the Jepara region, specifically related to the utilization of wood carving," Luthfi explained.

Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Boroujerdi confirmed that initial talks for the Semarang-Yazd sister-city agreement were underway, expressing hope that formal administrative protocols would follow swiftly to solidify the partnership.

"We suggest increasing economic cooperation, because cooperation in the cultural and political fields as well as in international organizations is already very good between the two countries," Boroujerdi said through an interpreter.

Boroujerdi affirmed Iran’s readiness to collaborate across diverse disciplines, including science, agriculture, livestock development, food security, and energy security. On the tourism front, the ambassador proposed joint religious tour packages to historical Islamic landmarks and shrines across Iranian cities.

"We hope that cooperation can be established with Central Java. Following this visit, I will contact the Iranian government and provinces in Iran to establish cooperation with Central Java," Boroujerdi concluded. ***