The Minister of ICT, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, participated in the first online press conference. This conference was live to watch on Aparat, and had about 12,000 views.
Will the Ban on Twitter and YouTube Be Removed?
The ICT Minister explained that this matter is not the ministry’s direct responsibility and it has only one vote in the “Filtering Committee”. However currently the National Center for Cyberspace is studying this matter, and their conclusion will soon be reported. That being said, the Minister also believes that this matter concerns the government, Parliament and the Judicial System all at the same time.
Innovative Commercial Park to Be Unveiled
The minister also announced that on the second month of the Persian new year (this April), an Innovative Commercial Park in the province of Central Khorasan, Mashhad, will be unveiled. In this park, ICT Companies can enter with an investment of 500 million Tomans (about 100,000 dollars) and exit with ten times of their input.
The Situation of Digital Currencies in the Country
Mr. Jahromi said that in the field of digital currencies in the country, the people are more informed from the authorities and, the ministry is aware of that. “With the collaboration of the Central Bank along with the Post Bank, big decisions will be made in this matter at the beginning of the new year.
Also about Telegram’s new cryptocurrency, the Minister mentioned that the Central Bank is responsible for studying the matter and choosing the right approach.
2 Million Iranians to benefit from 20 Mbps Home Internet Service
Mr. Jahromi stated that until the end of the next year, 2 million people in Iran will be provided with a 20 Mbps Internet. Also on this matter, he mentioned that the conditions of MTN’s investment in the country’s glass fiber infrastructures have been changed. He emphasized that the ministry will not differentiate between local and foreign companies for these investments.
Also about the issue of covering the blind spots of cell phone reception in the country, he emphasized on collaborating with the Municipalities and cell phone operators.
A Million Dollar Loan for Local Messaging Apps
Mr. Jahromi rejected not supporting local messengers and responded that 5 billion Tomans (about one million dollars) is the amount of the loan with a low profit that the Post Bank is offering at the moment. He emphasized that the ministry has facilitated the conditions of this loan so that companies working on local messaging apps could easily apply their request for the loan.
Organization of IT Engineers to Be Established
The ICT Minister informed us that this ministry’s Innovative Deputy is putting its efforts to resolve the legal issues for establishing this organization. “Considering the world’s movement towards a digital upheaval and the major role of computer engineering, there are still no organizations in this field. Therefore the ICT Ministry feels the need to follow up the legal issues for the establishment of such organization”.
This conference as told from the beginning was the first of its kind and ICT journalists and enthusiasts from all over the country got this great chance to ask their questions and demands from the Minister. About 50 questions were answered and the Minister promised to do more of these conferences in the future.
Via TechRasa
