The vice president for science and technology affairs, the economy of the country is so important today that the link between these two fields is unbreakable and the future of the country"s economy passes through these businesses.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, on February 4^th, 2019, the building of the ministry of economic affairs and finance hosted a number of knowledge-based activists. In this meeting, knowledge-based companies talked with Farhad Dejpasand, the minister of economics and finance, and a number of deputies and managers in the economic field, who were prepared to directly explain about their concerns and needs in the financial, monetary, banking, tax, and customs fields.

In the beginning of this meeting, the vice president expressed about the highlighted role of knowledge-based companies in the economy of the country. The economy, which has been dependent on oil revenues for many years, today sees the role of knowledge and technology of knowledge-based companies and startups through the formation of the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Sattari considered the new generation of entrepreneurs of these companies as the driving force behind the country"s economy, affirming: we have been working to provide a supportive and compassionate environment for the benefit of creative and innovative human resources. Of course, despite the traditional structures and low profile, we have had many problems and barriers. But this new generation of entrepreneurs is transforming these structures, given their creative nature and speed.

The vice president for science and technology affairs considered the formation of this environment in two knowledge-based companies and startups the economic revolution in the country.

According to the president for knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter, the country is bound to enter the path of a knowledge-based economy. In this path, all sectors must provide empathy, awareness and belief to facilitate the business of knowledge-based companies. In this way, the role of economic, customs and tax institutions, and other organization that are inextricably linked to the economy of these businesses, will be important and problem-solving.

We Want to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Knowledge-based Businesses

Farhad Dejpasand, the minister of economics and finance, appreciated the efforts by the vice president for science and technology affairs for realization of knowledge-based economy, stating: Dr. Sattari has played an effective role in this path and everything he says are useful for the country.

Pointing out the monitoring and managerial approach of the government in control of currency fluctuations, Dejpasand stated: the government"s policy of government is management without the suppression of the foreign exchange market by providing economic solutions. Fortunately, the foreign exchange market is in a stable situation and we hope to see a downward trend.

He said that, as the red carpet has been rolled out for foreign investors, we want to roll out a red carpet for knowledge-based businesses as well. In this regard, he asserted: knowledge-based companies are the basis for investing in the country.

Dejpasand also emphasized: announce the obstacles and problems and please ask for a system for mutual engagement.

The minister of economics and finance addressed the problems of knowledge-based companies and mechanisms to facilitate the legal issues of these enterprises, mentioning: in the deregulation board, which is an outsourcing board, if a law is recognized as unusable, it will be removed.

Mehrdad Jamal Arvanaghi, Deputy for Customs Affairs of Iran, considered the diversity of directives under the law and the customs as the promoter of these directives.

Seyed Kamel Taghavinejhad, general director of tax organization, pointed out the exemption of 15 years for knowledge-based companies by the order of the Vice-Presidency.

Taghavinejhad said that we are ready to define the training packages and mechanisms for taxes for the knowledge-based companies, expressing: special units of tax audit are considered and, if necessary, auditors will be defined and trained. We only receive a fee for insurance companies.

Shapour Mohammadi, head of stock exchange organization, conveyed: some of the resolutions require the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, but we have plans for admitting Fara bourse companies in the case of poor companies. Of course, this should be built up to be used later on in the process.

This two-hour meeting was allocated to a meeting between managers of knowledge-based companies and startups with the minister of economics and finance.

In this event, Mohammad Sahebkar Khorasani, head of the office for knowledge-based companys’ affairs, Shapour Mohammadi, head of stock exchange market, Mehrdad Jamal Ournaghi, deputy of customs affairs, and Seyed Kamel Taghavinejhad, general director of tax organization, listened to the problems of knowledge-based companies and startups.

The meeting was held in the presence of more than 30 active knowledge-based companies and startups, managers of which expressed their concerns, such as the need for tax exemptions, method of assessment of tax audits, necessity of presence of a special mechanism for evaluation of tax of knowledge-based companies, a new view toward assessing the assets of these businesses by financial institutes, such as banks, facilitation of the process for guaranteeing loans and banking facilities, assistance of entrance of the products required through the customs, possibility of financial exemptions, and presentation of bankrupt businesses on the stock exchange board.

In this meeting, it was decided to hold two other specialized meetings with the cooperation of the Vice-Presidency between companies and startups and representatives of banks and financial affairs separately.