For the first time in Iran, the capital’s municipality has allowed startups and knowledge-based companies to use 18 of its Application Programming Interface (API) in a bid to accelerate Tehran’s drive to become a smart city.
The APIs offered for programmers during the first “Smart Tehran” conference in the capital include various data about housing and construction, transport and storage, weather and climate as well as agriculture, fishery and forestry. For example, entrepreneurs and app makers used the available data on weather and climate in Tehran to develop platforms where people can consult pollution indicators in every district.
It’s the first time that a public entity in Iran has made available its own data to emerging companies, programmers and other individuals and institutes. “15 years ago it wasn’t possible to exchange data on mobile phone, but now it's a possibility”, said Tehran Mayor, Piruz Hanachi.
Smart Tehran seeks to make the Iranian capital a more intelligent city in five sectors: economy, transnport, governance, environment and infrastructure. “Blockchain and Internet of Things will help us better manage the city”, said Hanachi adding that “there is no other way than moving towards the smart”.
Head of Tehran’s City Council, Mohsen Hashemi, believes the capital’s smart drive makes it more transparent and that “this is how we can contain corruption”.