TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced that his country stands first in West Asia in terms of population, scientific progress as well as oil and gas capacities.

Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with a high-ranking Spanish delegation visiting Tehran on Wednesday.

He also described the ground as proper for the development of relations between Tehran and Madrid in energy, economic and trade fields, and expressed the hope that using the new opportunities, a new chapter would open in bilateral relations.

The head of the Spanish delegation, for his part, called for the expansion of trade and economic ties with Iran, and underlined the necessity for Madrid's increased investment in Iran.

In relevant remarks in June, Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari announced that the country ranked 15th in the world in producing science and stood 7th in nanotechnology.

"In the past 1.5 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has ascended three steps and is now standing among the 15 pioneering science production nations in the world," Sattari said.

Noting that Iran ranked 7th in advanced nanotechnology, he said, "We have plans to rank 5th in this field."

Sattari also announced that 1,500 knowledge-based companies were active in different Iranian provinces.

By Fars News Agency