Ceremony for Honoring Former President of ICT Park Held with the Attendance of Tech Company CEOs

At the outset of the ceremony, several of Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh's colleagues at ICT Park shared their fond memories of working within the Park and their collaborations with him.
Following these reflections, Engineer Mohsen Aboui, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ESM Telecommunication Company, representing the companies in attendance, expressed his appreciation for Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh's tireless efforts in advancing and expanding ICT Park. He also commended Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh for fostering positive interactions with the companies.
Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh then expressed his gratitude to the attendees: "I had the privilege of serving in Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology for four years. During that time, all our colleagues and member companies of the Park worked diligently to make something out of nothing. Today, ICT Park stands as a testament to the collective dedication of all our colleagues," he said. 
"Today, I stand before you to bid farewell and express my gratitude to all those who are present. Engineer Ms. Ghanbarpour is a young, dynamic, and capable individual. I wish him success, and I hope to witness the continued progress of the ICT Park family," he added.
Subsequently, Mr. Ghanbarpour, an Advisor to the Minister and the new president of ICT Park, extended a warm welcome to the Park's staff, and company representatives and CEOs in attendance. He praised Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh for his efforts: "He is one of the pioneers in the development of science and technology Parks in our country, a key architect of their establishment, and today we reap the benefits of his vision," he remarked.
"The advancements we witness today in technology, technological development, knowledge-based enterprises, and startups are the fruits of labor that occurred in obscurity during the 2000s. At a time when our officials were wholly unfamiliar with the concept of science and technology Parks, Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh and his colleagues included Article 47 in the Fourth Five-Year Development Plan, marking the first official recognition of science and technology Parks in top-level documents. We owe him our gratitude for his unwavering dedication to ICT Park and the overall development of Parks across the nation. We hope to learn from and benefit from his experiences in the future," he noted.
The Advisor to the Minister and President of ICT Park also highlighted the establishment of specialized Parks under the purview of specific ministries following the development of provincial Parks. "Specialized Parks established under specialized ministries have specific and defined missions. Ministries possess the authority to provide direction and regulation, and the activities of these parks are aligned with the needs of their respective ministries," he mentioned.
"Currently, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology prioritizes the development of the national information network and fiber networks throughout the country. This mega-project demands a substantial amount of equipment and services. Therefore, the activities and initiatives of ICT Park and its member companies, supported by the Ministry of Communications, should be geared toward fulfilling the needs of this ministry. On the other hand, organizations such as the Communications Regulatory Authority, the Telecommunication Infrastructure Company, the Information Technology Organization, the National Post Company, the Space Agency, and other organizations under the ministry's jurisdiction are obligated to facilitate the procurement of equipment from the technology companies we have supported to meet the ministry's needs," Eng. Ghanbarpour continued. 
"The programs and initiatives established by Dr. Sadigh, founded upon his comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the laws, should be preserved. However, the Park's activities and initiatives should be directed towards the needs of Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology. Nevertheless, if we can meet the domestic needs of our country, we can undoubtedly extend our efforts to meet the needs of neighboring nations," he added.
"ICT Park is not merely a physical entity; it is a mechanism designed to foster the growth of companies. We, as a subsidiary entity of Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, must exert ourselves to expedite company growth, ensuring alignment with our goals and policies, thereby creating new markets for these companies," emphasized the Advisor to the Minister and president of the Park.
He concluded by highlighting the untapped potential for collaboration between ICT Park and Payam Special Economic Zone: "What I perceive as an opportunity today are the capacities and resources that Payam Special Economic Zone has overlooked in recognizing ICT Park, and vice versa. Thus, to realize collaboration between ICT Park and Payam Special Economic Zone, I invite colleagues and member companies of the Park to explore the opportunities, facilities, space, and equipment available at Payam Special Economic Zone. The development space at Payam Special Economic Zone surpasses that of ICT Park, yet what it lacks is the flow of technology development and innovation, and these two entities can complement each other," he said.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh was presented with commendation plaques and gifts by Eng. Ghanbarpour, the President of ICT Park; Eng. Yazdanpanah, Deputy Director of Technology Development; Dr. Alireza Hafizi, Deputy Director of Human Resources Development and Resource Management; and Eng. Jafari, Director of the Technological Units Development Center.