Iran's Presidential Election Candidates' Representatives Meet to Discuss Domestic Messaging Services

Iran's Information Technology Organization (ITO) held a high-level meeting to discuss the capabilities and facilities of domestic messaging services for the representatives of the candidates participating in the fourteenth round of the presidential election. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Deputy Director of Policy and Accreditation, the Presidential Election Advertising Headquarters at the Ministry of Interior, representatives of Iranian messaging platforms, representatives of presidential candidates, and senior managers.

According to a report by the ITO’s Public Relations department, Hamed Monkaressi, the Deputy Director of Policy and Accreditation, highlighted the significant potential of Iranian messaging platforms, which boast over 45 million users, as an effective channel for advertising presidential candidates. Drawing from previous successful advertising experiences during parliamentary elections, Monkaressi anticipated a substantial increase in advertising activities during this election period, owing to the robust facilities offered by Iranian messaging platforms.

Furthermore, Monkaressi emphasized the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's collaboration with operators to allocate 20 gigabytes of free internet traffic to Iranian users, ensuring access to election news through domestic messaging platforms. He stressed the importance of maintaining impartiality and creating a fair space for all candidates to benefit from these advertising opportunities equally.

The meeting also addressed the possibility of registering public reports on candidate violations through domestic messaging platforms, with oversight from a working group comprising the Deputy Prosecutor's Office for Cyber Affairs and the Ministry of Interior.

Approved candidates will have access to various facilities, including launching an official account for the national election headquarters, utilizing live broadcast capabilities, displaying candidate promotional teasers on billboards, conducting surveys and polls, and receiving daily reports. Notably, substantial financial resources have been allocated for banners and SMS advertisements.

Additionally, landing pages tailored to candidate content types will be created, and candidate advertisements will be strategically displayed in VOD sections. The initiatives also encompass live streaming, polls, and developing regional sections to further enhance the candidates' outreach strategies.