Smart Government in Iran: From Concept and Policymaking to Implementation

The idea of effectively applying emerging information and communication technologies to governance in Iran was first introduced around the early 2000s, coinciding with the rapid growth of these technologies and their capacity to reshape governmental orientations and interactions between the government and citizens. Although the public sector has moved at a slower pace than the private sector, its progress has been continuous, albeit complex and uneven. An examination of Iran’s higher-level policy documents indicates that the government’s approach to information technology has evolved from promoting the application of information technology (TAKFA) and e-government/online service delivery toward smart government and data-driven governance. This trajectory gained greater momentum through the Civil Service Management Law and the General Policies of the Administrative System, and was elevated to the highest level of policymaking in the Policies of the Seventh Development Plan, with an explicit emphasis on “smartification and the realization of e-government.”
In the Seventh Development Plan (2024–2028), this approach has been translated into quantitative and measurable objectives, including redesigning and reengineering 65 percent of work procedures, fully electronic processing of 100 percent of government transactions and services, and improving Iran’s position in the E-Government Development Index. Therefore, it appears that the objective is not merely to digitize existing processes; rather, the reengineering of the administrative system constitutes an integral component of the smart government agenda. Furthermore, the National Data and Information Management Law has established the necessary legal infrastructure for this transformation, emphasizing the development of integrated mechanisms for the production, storage, exchange, and accessibility of data. Consequently, data has emerged as the core infrastructure for the delivery of smart services and government decision-making.
Ultimately, the Smart Government Roadmap, approved by the Supreme Administrative Council, has translated these requirements into an implementation framework. It emphasizes the integration of the service delivery chain, data-based governance, process redesign, the monitoring of government agencies’ performance, and the application of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Taken together, these policy documents indicate that smart government in Iran is not merely synonymous with “providing services through digital platforms.” Rather, it represents a model in which administrative processes are redesigned, government data are integrated, information is exchanged online, unnecessary requirements for citizens to visit government offices or provide redundant documents are eliminated, and decision-making becomes as data-driven and intelligent as possible. In other words, the primary criterion of success is not the number of systems and platforms established, but the extent of actual transformation in government processes, services, data, and decision-making. This article seeks to clarify this concept, analyze Iran’s performance based on its global standing and international rank, and present practical recommendations.