Three smart postal operators in Iran await initial approval

Three candidates have qualified to become smart postal operators in Iran, Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said, adding that he hopes they will receive approval in principle within a month.

The initial approvals would pave the way for the operators to begin work. Hashemi said the project had taken more than a year of study and preparation and had reached its final stages after a call for applicants.

The communications ministry reported his remarks during a visit to Tehran’s Mofatteh post office to mark World Post Day. Neither the candidates’ names nor a date for the start of their services was given in the announcement.

“Three qualified organizations have been identified, and we hope their approvals in principle will be issued within the next month to pave the way for these operators to begin operating,” Hashemi said.

The plans form part of a broader effort to modernize Iran’s National Post Company, including postal sorting and exchange centers that handle higher volumes of mail and parcels.

Hashemi said the company was working with knowledge-based technology firms on those centers. The upgrades were underway at high-traffic facilities, with some already in operation, he said. He attributed productivity improvements to the projects and said their expansion would continue to improve service quality.

The National Post Company has also contracted with private businesses to provide some services over the past year or two, Hashemi said. He said purchasing those services had helped transfer knowledge and improve the quality of postal services.

During the visit, Hashemi toured the company’s 193 call center, where he reviewed how staff respond to customers’ requests and questions and handle problems with postal services.

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