The purpose of this article is to reveal the nature and extent of the official English language websites of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the motivating factors for this practice. The main reasons for the relatively large number of English language sites are considered to be the promotion of tourism, a desire for international scientific cooperation, and increased financial dealings. The paper provides information on the English language content of the main Iranian government websites, identifies some of the obstacles to effective access to this content, and argues for improvements in Iranian website design, so that the Iranian government can fully achieve its goals.
Hernon, Peter; Harold C. Relyea; Dugan, Robert E.; and Cheverie, Joan F.United States Government information: policies and sources (Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2002), p. 388.
2.
Jaeger, Paul T.The endless wire: e-government as global phenomenon . Government Information Quarterly, 20 (no. 4, 2003): 327.
3.
For a better understanding of the Iranian stance toward the western world, one might profitably read Al Ahmad , Jalal.Gharbzadegi = Weststruckness; translated from the Persian by John Green and Ahmad Alizadeh. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 1997.
4.
Indeed, this song “has acquired a permanent place in the repertory of American popular songs” according to Ewen, David, ed. American popular songs: from the revolutionary war to the present. New York: Random House, 1966. p. 433.
5.
The IRI's SAC website says “The language spoken in Iran is Persian (wrongly known as Farsi)” at http://www.dmk.ir/en/07-1.html (accessed 5 December 2007); this matter is controversial, see Kamran Talattof, `Persian or Farsi: the debate continues ' at http://www.iranian.com/Features/Dec97/Persian/ (accessed 5 December 2007).
6.
The IRI Broadcasting provides `Worldservice Radio' in 27 languages including Asian languages (e.g. Chinese and Japanese), Western European languages (such as French, German, and Italian) as well as Hebrew and English, according to http://www.irib.ir/ (accessed 27 November 2007).
7.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies , `New political currents in Iran'. In Strategic Survey, 1997/98 (London: Oxford University Press, 1998), p. 162—163; for the official `Transcript of interview with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami ,' see http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9801/07/iran/interview.html (accessed 22 November 2007).
8.
Tabesh, Yahya ; Khansari, Mohammad; Zarkalam , Sattar; and Saljooghi, Khosro. `Digital review of Iran' In Proceedings of the Meeting and Workshop on Development of a National IT Strategy: Focusing on Indigenous Content Development, Tehran, Iran, October 2004. English translation by Tavakkoli ( Teheran: Ministry of Science, Research & Technology Iranian Information & Documentation Center, 2004), p. 141.
9.
Lila Mortezaie to Beygijanian, 31 January 2006.
10.
Most relevant citations for the study at hand are: Kaaya, Janet O. `Examining the adoption, implementation, institutionalization and sustainability of e-government strategies: the case of Tanzania using an institutional perspective' PhD Dissertation, UCLA, 2006; Davarpanah, M.R. and Khaleghi, Narges , `Evaluating websites: a systematic investigation of Internet site quality from a single country domain name [i.e. .ir or Iran] ' Library Review, 55 (no. 9, 2006): 621—631 and Hossein Sharifi and Behrouz Zarei. `An adaptive approach for implementing e-government in I.R. Iran'. Journal of Government Information, 30 (no. 5—6, 2004): 600—619.
11.
The websites of the President's Ministries are available at http://www.president.ir/eng/ahmadinejad/cabinet/contact (accessed 3 August 2007) which brings up the `Data Bases of I. R. of Iran Government Establishments' or http://www.president.ir/eng/government/ (accessed 3 August 2007). Note, however, that only 16 of the 21 Ministry websites can be found on the President's ` Data Bases' website through the `Cabinet Contact' link or `Links to Gov. Sites.'
12.
Note that the `Spokesman of IRI Government' at www. spokesman.gov.ir, which serves as the Farsi language portal for government websites, has an English language link; however, clicking on it connects to a non-governmental site at www.sokhangoo.net. Nonetheless, 20 of the 21 ministry websites on the Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran can be found at http://www.sokhangoo.net/en/index. php?option=com_weblinks&catid=40&Itemid=54 (accessed 3 August 2007).
13.
“The Supreme Court and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary” according to the CIA's World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html (accessed 22 November 2007)
14.
The “unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles” according to the CIA's World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html (accessed 22 November 2007).
15.
Flanz, Gisbert H.Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran . In Constitutions of the countries of the world, volume 9, edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz.Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications , 1992, p. 23. For an electronic version, see `ICL—Iran— Constitution ' at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/ir00000_.html (accessed 30 November 2007).
16.
`Promotion of Investment in Water Projects in Iran' under the Iran Water Resources Management Company at http://www.wrm.ir/en/index.asp (accessed 27 November 2007). As an aside, Babak Rahimi asserts that the Ministry of Energy developed its online presence as early as 1994; see ` Cyberdissent: the Internet in Revolutionary Iran' MERIA Journal , 7 (no. 3, September 2003) at http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2003/issue3/jv7n3a7.html (accessed 17 February 2006).
17.
See the FIPPA Homepage at http://intl.mim.gov.ir , the Tehran Stock Exchange at ( http://www.iranbourse.com/Default.aspx?alias=www.iranbourse.com/en), and for instructions on how to register with branches of foreign companies in Iran (http://intl.mim.gov.ir/Investment1.aspx?Kid=27 ) as well as the Minister's contact information at (http://intl.mim.gov.ir/cont.aspx?ID=3) (accessed 28 August 2007).
18.
See `Forms' at http://intl.mim.gov.ir/Investment1.aspx?Kid=24 (accessed 28 August 2007).
19.
See forthcoming `International Exhibition[s] To Be Held In Tehran ' at http://intl.mim.gov.ir/cont.aspx?ID=7 (accessed 22 August 2007).
20.
To find these materials along with `invitations to tender,' one first must click the link entitled `Visitor Mode' at http://www.nioc.org/tenders/default.asp and then click on `Live Tender,' then `View' (accessed 6 August 2007).
21.
For the Ministry of Petroleum's current advertisements for new projects, see under `Tenders' at http://www.nioec.org/tenders.html (accessed 8 August 2007).
22.
For the Iranian Fuel Conservation Organization's (IFCO) `Tenders,' click on http://www.ifco.ir/english/tender.asp (accessed 6 August 2007).
23.
`KalaNaft Co., Teheran. Manufacturing Support and Procurement for the Iranian Oil Industry.' at http://www.kalanaft-tehran.com/ (accessed 22 August 2007).
24.
In Finland, for Iranian business laws, see http://www.iran.fi/report.htm;forIraniancompanies,seehttp://www.iran.fi/links.htm#Economics ; for business/ entry/work permits and visas, see http://www.iran.fi/visa.htm; and for consulate contacts see http://www.iran.fi/contact.htm. In Greece, for Iranian business laws, see_http://www.iranworld.com/ ; for Iranian companies, see http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/eco_link99.htmI; for business/entry/work permits and visas, see http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/con_visa.htm; and for consulate contacts, see http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/contact.htm . In India, for Iranian business laws, see http://www.iran-embassy.org.in/affairs.asp?field23=economic1; for Iranian companies and investment opportunities, see http://www.iran-embassy.org.in/affairs.asp?field23=economicf3; for work permits and visa applications, see http://www.iran-embassy.org.in/affairs.asp?field23=consular1; and Embassy contacts, see http://www.iran-embassy.org.in/More_affairs1.asp?ID=1200 . In New Zealand, for Iranian business laws, see http://www.iranembassy.org.nz/economic-en.htm; for Iranian companies, see http://www.iranembassy.org.nz/economic-en.htm ; for business visas or work permits, see http://www.iranembassy.org.nz/consular/visa_entry.htm; consular contacts, see http://www.iranembassy.org.nz/contact.htm. In South Africa, for Iranian business laws, see http://www.iranembassy-sa.org.za/E/Trade/MTrade.htm; for Iranian companies and investment opportunities , see http://www.iranembassy-sa.org.za/E/Trade/MTrade.htm ; business visas and work permits, see http://www.iranembassy-sa.org.za/E/Visa/MVisa.htm. In South Africa, for Embassy contact information, see http://www.iranembassy-sa.org.za/ (accessed 10 August 2007).
25.
See `Laws and Regulations,' then `Direct Tax ,' and then `Taxable Persons' at http://www.mefa.gov.ir/laws/ShowELst.asp?nFrom=1&nTo=2&DN=1 (accessed 10 August 2007)
26.
See `Institutes' of the Ministry of Economics and Affairs of Finance at http://www.mefa.gov.ir/di/index_institutes_eng.asp (accessed 10 August 2007).
27.
`Banks' of the Ministry of Economics and Affairs of Finance at http://www.mefa.gov.ir/di/index_institutes_eng.asp (accessed 10 August 2007).
28.
For a list of other conferences in Iran, see `Events' on the National Petrochemical Company's website at http://www.nipc.net/indexen.php (accessed 15 August 2007).
29.
See the link, Workshops, Meetings, Conferences and Symposia' on the website of The Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran at http://www.ias.ac.ir/pages/seminars_held.htm (accessed 26 November 2007).
30.
For example, under Internet Resources, the `General' links provides `General Search Engines' as well as English-language dictionaries at http://www.ams.ac.ir/htmls/general.htm (accessed 27 November 2007).
31.
For examples of congresses, seminars, workshops, and monthly meetings, see `CME Activities' on the drop-down menu at http://www.iagh.org/portal.aspx (accessed 27 November 2007); to see the online registration form, go to the link `Register' at http://www.iagh.org/portal.aspx?tabid=101 (accessed 27 November 2007) or at http://www.iagh.org/EditModule.aspx?tabid=101&def=Register (accessed 27 November 2007). Contact information is available at http://www.iagh.org/portal.aspx?tabid=108 (accessed 27 November 2007).
32.
See http://www.iagh.org/EditModule.aspx?tabid=108&def=Register (accessed 27 November 2007).
33.
For conference announcements, see http://www.docguide.com/crc.nsf/web-byregion?OpenForm&city=Tehran—ir (accessed 27 November 2007); contact information can be found on each respective site.
34.
For admission requirements to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , see http://www.tbzmed.ac.ir/catalog/TBZ-University/Admission-Requirment.htm (accessed 28 November 2007).
35.
Department of Research and Education of the IRI's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, `IPIS: Institute for Political and International Studies' at http://www.mfa.gov.ir/mfa/cms/Tehran/en/educations/ (accessed 22 August 2007 ).
36.
Harris, Chauncey D. `English as international language in geography: development and limitations.' The Geographical Review, 91 (no. 4, October 2001 ): 685.
37.
The working websites for the Iranian Embassies but which do not have an English version are the Iranian Embassies in Brazil ( http://www.webiran.org.br/), Qatar (http://www.iranembassy.org.qa/ , Russia (http://www.iranembassy.ru/), and Yemen (http://www.iranyemen.com.ye/). These Embassy websites only have links for Farsi and the native language of the country, with the exception of Doha, Qatar which has text only in Farsi.
38.
The Iranian Consulate in Hong Kong at http://www. iranconsulate.org.hk/ has one link entitled `News,' but it is in Chinese while the Iranian Embassy site for Japan has English, Farsi as well as Japanese language links.
39.
See `Iran—Constitution, Chapter VI, Section 2, Article 77 [Treaties]' at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/ir00000_.html (accessed 5 December 2007).
40.
`IR Iran Parliament' at http://www.majlis.ir/ (accessed 2 December 2007).
41.
`Islamic Consultative Assembly Library (ICALIB)' at http://www.majlislib.com/ (accessed 2 December 2007 ).
42.
`Supreme Audit Court' at http://www.dmk.ir/ (accessed 2 December 2007).
43.
See http://www.majlislib.com/websearch_e.htm and http://www.majlislib.com/web.htm and respectively (accessed 2 December 2007).
44.
See `Iran—Constitution, Chapter IV, Articles 54—55 [Accounting Agency and Auditing, Report]' at http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/ir00000_.html (accessed 5 December2007).
45.
`Supreme Audit Court Official Website, About Iran: Language' at http://www.dmk.ir/en/07-1.html (accessed 5 December 2007).
46.
`Supreme Audit Court, Official Website, Contact Us or Site Map' at http://www.dmk.ir/en/10.html (accessed 5 December 2007).
47.
Under `Crime Prevention' at http://www.iranjudiciary.org/laws-lawslinks-en.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
48.
See http://www.iranjudiciary.org/courts-supremecourts-en.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
49.
For more on the Islamic Republic of Iran's Supreme Court, see http://www.iranjudiciary.org/courtssupremecourts-en.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
50.
A description of the responsibilities of the Administrative Court of Justice can be found at http://www.iranjudiciary.org/courtsadministrativecourtjusticeen.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
51.
For information on Revolutionary Courts, see http://www.iranjudiciary.org/courts-revolutionarycourtsen.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
52.
See `Affiliated Organizations' including its sub-links at http://www.iranjudiciary.org/affiliatedorganizationsprisons-en.html (accessed 6 December 2007).
53.
See `Judiciary of IRI' at http://www.iranjudiciary.org/laws-lawslinks-en.html (accessed 7 December 2007).
54.
See `Links' at http://www.iranjudiciary.org/lawslawslinks-en.html (accessed 7 December 2007); select `Human Rights ' and then http://www.amnesty.org/ (accessed 7 December 2007); type `Iran' in the Search box for the results of human rights violations at http://www.amnesty.org/airesults/search?sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=UTF-8&ie=iso88591&client=eng&proxystylesheet=eng&site=default_collection&lr=lang_en&q=Iran (accessed 7 December 2007).
55.
See `United Nations Member States' at http://www.un.org/members/list.shtml#i (accessed 7 December 2007).
56.
See the website of the World Intellectual Property Organization for the Islamic Republic of Iran at http://www.wipo.int/members/en/details.jsp?country_id=82&country_code=IR (accessed 7 December 2007).
57.
Nader D.Naghshineh to Beygijanian, 19 February 2006.
58.
Nader D.Naghshineh to Beygijanian, 8 June 2006.
59.
Nader D.Naghshineh to Beygijanian, 11 June 2006.
60.
Eschenfelder, Kristin R. `How do government agencies review and approve text content for publication on their websites? A framework to compare web content management practices.' Library and Information Science Research, 26 (no. 4, 2004): 463.
61.
`Country Commerce.' The Economist Intelligence Unit, (March 2007), p. 15 at http://www.eiu.com (accessed 1 August 2007).
62.
Ibid, p. 9.
63.
Stone, Richard. `Science in Iran: an Islamic science revolution? ' Science, 16 September 2005, p. 1804 at http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/309/5742/1802?ijkey=Iy.8bbpzThe2 (accessed 27 November 2007).
64.
`Thermodynamics Conference of the University of Isfahan ' at http://www.thcui.com/ (accessed 30 November 2007).
65.
`Visit Iran, Travel & Tourism Guide, Tours and Hotel: Irpedia' at http://www.irpedia.com/ (accessed 30 November 2007).
66.
For the `Media Section,' see http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/media.htm (accessed 30 November 2007) and for ` Cultural Section,' see http://www.iranembassy.gr/eng/cultural.htm (accessed 30 November 2007).
67.
Start at http://www.mfa.gov.ir/mfa/cms/Tehran/en/ index.html, click on `Links,' then `Embassies' to see the Iranian embassies' websites around the world.
68.
Kaaya, Janet O. `Examining the adoption, implementation, institutionalization and sustainability of e-government strategies: the case of Tanzania using an institutional perspective,” PhD Dissertation, UCLA, 2006.
