On February 1, 1999 the Iranian Minister of Post, Telegraph and TelephoneDr. Mohammad Reza Aref signed a cooperation agreement with Italian Postand Telecommunications Minister Salvatore Cardinale to expand bilateralcooperation in telecommunications.
The two companies, TCI, and Italtel are to cooperate in areas relating toresearch and transfer of technology, production and export of varioustechnical equipment as well as exchange of technical expertise.Telecommunication channels between the two countries are to increased,and joint work and research in fiber optics technology in particular wasagreed upon.