Despite sanctions and regional tensions, the Iranian economy recorded exceptionally high growth during 2003, with its economic expansion reaching 6.2%. Continuously improved income levels and a strong pent-up demand create good prospects for increased consumption of telecommunications services. The main barriers are on the regulatory side, including far-reaching restrictions on foreign ownership and any new applications and technology that may purportedly jeopardize the government's authority. However, the award of a second GSM license to Turkey's Turkcell and a steadily growing number of private ISPs indicate a more pragmatic approach by the Iranian government in its quest to promote sustainable economic growth. This 19-page report takes a comprehensive look at the Iranian market, covering immediate issues facing the market, in the context of the political, economic, regulatory, and competitive environments. It includes fixed communications predictions, mobile communications predictions, vendor relationships, and risk assessment.

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