More than 4,000 direct jobs and 8,000 indirect jobs will be created when 18 major ICT firms will open offices in Iran’s northern Mazandaran Province after April 2017, according to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi.
The firms will invest a total of 20 trillion rials ($572 million at market exchange rate) in the new offices in the northern province, giving a boost to the region’s technology infrastructure and broadening the mix of jobs on offer outside Tehran.
Vaezi made the statements in the northern city of Sari, at a ceremony held on September 30, to great applause by regional officials, ICTNA reported.
He also urged MPs to draft legislation that could help create more jobs outside Tehran.
Morteza Barari, a deputy at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, said the firms involved already have offices in Tehran but are looking to expand operations.
“It is important to double the creation of local online content and help regions expand their digital presence,” he said.
Barari noted that 45 cities in Mazandaran enjoy 3G coverage from the three largest network operators and a further 22 cities have 4G connectivity.
“With the development of ICT, the province’s major assets, namely tourism and agriculture, can also be fortified,” he said.
Mazandaran is home to 140 educational facilities and receives 220,000 university students annually, but many of those tech graduates often end up in Tehran due to the pull of higher salaries.
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