Iran, Turkey Expanding ICT Collaboration

EghtesadOnline: Visiting Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan met with Iran’s Information and Communication Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi in Tehran on Monday, underlining cooperation in ICT fields.

News ID: ۷۴۷۱۹۸

30 April 2019

“We are set to boost our collaboration in the fields of communications,” the Turkish minister was quoted as saying on the ICT Ministry’s website.

“We have also drawn up plans for accelerating the expansion of bilateral trade ties,” he said, adding that the two countries are already collaborating in the field of cybersecurity.

Jahromi invited Turkish startups and tech firms to participate in the 25th Iran International Electronic, Computer and E-Commerce Exhibition (ELECOMP 2019), which is to be held on July 18-21 at Tehran’s International Fairground, according to Financial Tribune.

“Today, our talks were mostly focused on an agreement signed earlier by Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on expansion of ICT ties. We made headways about how to implement the agreement,” he said.

The agreement was signed by the four countries on the sidelines of Bakutel 2018 held at Baku Expo Center on Dec. 4-7. As per the deal, the four sides were to establish startup centers with a joint investment of $2 million to expand technological collaboration.

On the sidelines of Bakutel 2018, Jahromi met with his counterparts from Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, namely Konstantin Noskov, Ramin Namiq Oglu Guluzade and Mehmet Cahit Turhan respectively.

The centers are to connect knowledge-based companies and startups from the four countries to develop technological cooperation.

Jahromi then noted that as per the agreement, the centers will be set up to facilitate scientific and technological collaboration amongthe four states.

“Each country will invest $500,000 in the project that will link experts and the educated youth. The project will also help expand technological collaboration in the region,” he said.

Prior to this agreement, the ministers met on the sidelines of TurkmenTEL 2018 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in October and discussed the establishment of a joint ICT market.

According to earlier reports, national currencies of the countries could be used for trading in the proposed market. The joint market would initially be regulated by governments and later its oversight would be delegated to the private sector.

Turhan also attended the Eighth Iran-Turkey Transportation Commission held in Tehran on April 28-29.