Iran Starts Implementing Law on Freedom of Information (FOI)

An Iranian official says an online system has been launched to provide Iranian citizens with free access to the information of public and private organizations and institutes.

The secretary of the Commission for Publishing and Providing Free Access to Information, Hossein Entezami, declared the test launch of an online system which gives all Iranian citizens free access to the information of state-run as well private organizations and institutes providing public services.

The system, he added, will soon be officially unveiled by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi-Amiri as well as Minister of Information and Communication Technology Mahmoud Vaezi as part of the government’s efforts to promote Freedom of Information (FOI) in the Islamic Republic.

Entezami added that requests to gain access to such information, submitted by the citizens, will be received as of now – following the launch of the system for a trial period.

He said any Iranian legal and natural person can put in their requests to have free access to public information by registering in an online system, which can be accessed via http://foia.iran.gov.ir. The requests will be responded to in 10 working days.

They are required to create a user account on this website. Other methods for submitting requests are through the government’s E-services offices or by post, he added.

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