TEHRAN (Iran News) – The 3rd Smart City Expo was inaugurated yesterday by Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini (R) Mosalla.

The three-day exhibition will be open to the public and 235 knowledge-based and startups companies as well as four municipalities attend in the smart city sector and 20 governor generals attend in the rural brands sector.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Interior Minister Vahidi said that to offer better services, it needs two fields to be connected, adding that these two groups should be tied in order that smart city idea could be formed well. He added that holding this exhibition and exhibitions like this can materialize the smart city.

He went on to say that beside smart city, the idea of smart village should also be pursued. He reiterated that this exhibition is held due to pursuit and efforts of Municipalities and Village Administrations Organization and this organization is some part of the interior ministry and the ministry seeks developing and supporting companies which move in line with smart city.

Vahidi added that all provinces and municipalities have been ordered to make most of capacities in the field of smart city and some competitions ae held to choose top knowledge-based companies which are leading ones in this field.

He also called for investment on the smart city and termed the smart city an important issue.

Meanwhile Head of Municipalities and Village Administrations Organization Mr. Mehdi Jamalinejad, for his part, said that the third exhibition is aimed at displaying the different dimensions of smart city and smartization in the cities and 235 organizations and knowledge-based companies will put on display their achievements in this three-day exhibition.

He added that some discussion panels, educational workshops and scientific lectures will be held and delivered on the sidelines of the exhibition and some new systems and products will be unveiled during the event.

Jamali went on to say that in this year’s exhibition, for the first time the festival of rural brands is being held with presence of some knowledge-based companies and top rural entrepreneurs and rural brand products will be put on display  in different fields.

He noted that the exhibition is being held in collaboration between Municipalities and Village Administrations Organization, Iran National Innovation Fund and Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.

Vice-President on Technology and other bodies.