Assessing the Position of Iran’s Telecom Industry in the Global Value Chain an‎d Proposing Technological Strategies for Its Enhancement with a Foresight Approach

10/22/2025 12:00:00 AM

The telecommunications an‎d information technology (telecom) sector, as a fundamental an‎d enabling pillar of socio-economic development, plays a decisive role in enhancing productivity, creating employment, fostering innovation, an‎d reinforcing national infrastructure. Despite possessing substantial potential advantages—such as a young an‎d educated population, a strategic geopolitical position, an‎d an experienced professional workforce—Iran has yet to attain a competitive an‎d sustainable position within the global telecom value chain. This study aims to assess Iran’s stan‎ding in the global telecom value chain an‎d to propose technological strategies for its advancement through a foresight-driven perspective. Adopting a qualitative research design, data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 14 domestic an‎d international telecom experts an‎d subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis using MAXQDA software. The findings reveal that Iran predominantly functions as a consumer node within the global value chain. Structural challenges—including economic sanctions, limited foreign an‎d domestic investment, an‎d restrictive policy environments—have hindered its participation in higher value-added segments such as design, development, an‎d international integration. Nonetheless, technological opportunities, including the expansion of 5G an‎d IoT infrastructures, a large domestic market, an‎d a dynamic young workforce, can act as catalysts for industrial upgrading. To explore alternative development pathways, the study delineates three plausible future scenarios—signalboost, stablelink, an‎d signaldro‎p—representing distinct trajectories for the evolution of Iran’s telecom industry. For each scenario, tailored strategic frameworks are proposed to leverage emerging opportunities, overcome systemic threats, an‎d foster a resilient transition toward enhanced global competitiveness. The results provide actionable insights for policymakers, telecom operators, an‎d investors seeking to strengthen Iran’s position in the global telecom lan‎dscape an‎d to facilitate evidence-based decision-making for sustainable technological growth.

صنعت تلكام , راهكار فناورانه , ارتقاء در زنجيره ارزش جهاني , صادرات , انتقال فناوري

telecom industry , technological strategies , global value chain , upgrading , export , technology transfer

Mohammad Goodarzi

Amir zakery