TEHRAN – Foreign elites interested in starting technological businesses in Iran, in addition to residency support, benefit from the support of knowledge-based companies, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, has said.

Idea owners, investors, and experts who are interested in creating new businesses in Iran are supported, IRNA quoted Mehdi Ghaleh-Noei as saying on Friday.

“In this regard, an agreement has recently been signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor.

According to this cooperation agreement, Iranian science and technology visas will be granted to idea owners and technologists who can enter Iran for three to six months, and then on the basis of the existing accommodation system for foreign specialists and non-Iranian elites, residence permits will be obtained.

So far, the ideas and conditions of 25 people have been evaluated and efforts are being made to receive a residence permit,” he explained.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he stated that the main goal is to connect 6,000 knowledge-based companies and capable Iranian creative companies to international markets to develop a sales market.

Due to the special situation of Iran in the international arena, we use special and different methods to develop the market of these companies, including the establishment of an innovation house abroad, through which we have been able to provide a market for Iranian knowledge-based products.

“In another program, we try to make foreign elites interested in the Iranian business environment and, in other words, with small investments and ideas, they are attracted to create jobs and start a business in the country,” he noted.

The Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, by implementing a program of cooperation with international experts and entrepreneurs, provided special support for non-Iranian specialists. The program defined a set of services and facilities for elite immigrants and entrepreneurs, one of which is the provision of a special residence permit for three to five years.

They can have a special residence card, except for the right to vote to enjoy all citizenship rights in Iran, he added.

To date, more than 450 international professionals and entrepreneurs have been identified through this program, and over 200 applicants have been able to benefit from the “Special Residence” card, he added.

The primary objective of this plan is to establish an effective interaction between experts and top science and technology centers of the country in the form of supporting research and technology projects, such as post-doctoral, sabbaticals, visiting and selected professors, creating technological businesses and occupations in knowledge-based companies and holding specialized workshops and lectures.

The knowledge-based ecosystem is a newly-emerged ecosystem but has so far been able to solve many of the country's problems.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei designated the Iranian New Year (1401) as “The Year of Production: Knowledge-Based and Job-Creating”.

Strengthening knowledge-based companies is on the agenda, raising hope for reducing obstacles on the path to development.

The Leader has called on all Iranians, including citizens and government officials, to work hard to boost knowledge-based production and create new jobs.

Iranian elites return

Iran has also implemented a plan to return elites from the top 100 universities in the world. Through a national model, the facilities are provided for their return by creating technology parks, innovation centers, and factories.

The plan was able to bring back 2,510 Iranian specialists and graduates from 720 prestigious and top universities in the world.

About 500 Iranian researchers have returned home over the past four years to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the country's universities, according to the vice presidency for science and technology.

With the support of the National Elites Foundation and Science and Technology Vice Presidency, universities, knowledge enterprises, technology parks, and incubators launched a plan titled ‘cooperation with Iranian expatriate entrepreneurs and elites’ in 2015.

The plan aims to attract Iranians abroad to share knowledge in different forms including postdoctoral research, research opportunity, and visiting fellows, in addition to being faculty members.

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