The announcement was made by Rouhollah Estiri, the director general for international business affairs of the Directorate for Science and Technology Affairs of Iran’s Presidential Office.
Estiri said Microsoft and other US companies have picked their local partners but still have to address certain issues before entering Iran “given that they are American enterprises”.
“Microsoft is expected to take certain measures over the next month [with regards to investing in Iran],” he said.
“Such companies can only operate in Iran if they transfer their technology [to Iranian firms],” IRNA quoted the official as saying.
Estiri further said Microsoft had told Iranian officials that it is currently involved in business with Pakistani companies by granting them licenses for their domestic products and that it has called for a similar business with Iranians.
Reports emerged in Iran’s media in September that Microsoft has opened shops in Iran in what was interpreted as the start of the business activities of the global tech giant in the Islamic Republic.
However, Iranian officials rejected reports over the company’s presence in the Iranian market and said no authorization has been issued for Microsoft to operate in Iran.
Estiri further emphasized that apart from Microsoft, other US tech giants like Oracle, IBM and Gemalto have also held extensive discussions to enter the Iranian market.
He added that a local version of Alibaba online shopping service will be launched in Iran before next April, adding that the service will be totally operated by private sector companies.
The official said all the companies have had comprehensive studies on Iran`s ICT market, and are cautiously willing to come to Iran.
US companies are currently banned from making direct investments in Iran`s economy due to a series of sanctions that have been imposed over the past years by the administration as well as the Congress.
Iran, however, has repeatedly emphasized that it sees no obstacles for investments by US companies in its economy.
Microsoft preparing to invest in Iran
22 October 2015
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Officials in Tehran said on Wednesday that Microsoft as well as several other leading US tech enterprises are preparing to enter the Iranian market in the near futurem Press TV reported.
