Iranian Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Seyed Sattar Hashemi on Monday called for reformulation of the mission of Post Bank of Iran after 30 years of its establishment and to employ advantages of modern digital technologies.
“As Post Bank steps into its fourth decade of life, the
expectations from this entity are evolving in line with technological
developments as well,” he said at a ceremony in Tehran to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of Post Bank of Iran.
He termed Post Bank an instance of service justice for Iranians
and said, “It is the fruit of an intelligent approach based on paying attention
to rural areas, small businesses, and less privileged groups.”
Attention to overlooked people
Reviewing the history of the foundation of Post Bank as a
subsidiary of ICT Ministry, Hashemi said, “The philosophy of establishing this
bank was to address a serious gap in the country's banking system and to focus
on people who, despite playing a fundamental role in the country's economic and
social pillars, were not at the center of banking services.”
This approach, he added, was the product of an sound and
forward-looking vision that caused Post Bank to have a distinct mission from
other banks from its inception.
ICT justice
He referred to the status of Post Bank in the organizational
structure of the ICT Ministry and said, “The mission of the ministry has been
defined from the beginning based on communication justice which is not coming
from outside but is inherent in provisions of the mission of the Ministry.”
He considered Post Bank to be complementary in this mission
and added, “Just as the ICT Ministry pursues justice in access to
communications, Post Bank has achieved justice in access to financial and
banking services.”
Need to transform mission
Hashemi urged Post Bank to redefine its mission in the era
of digital technologies.
“The development of communication infrastructure in
villages, especially in the form of the Universal Service Obligation (USO)
plan, has created a new expectation, which is the provision of modern and
online banking services that are appropriate for the digital ecosystem.”
He cautioned that Post Bank could face serious challenges in
the future by continuing to provide services with a purely traditional approach.
Breath-taking competition
Referring to the intense competition in the field of ICT and
digital banking, the minister also stated, “The technological developments are
so fast that even major global players will be eliminated from the competition
if they fail to adapt to new conditions.”
He recalled examples of rapid changes in digital technology
and added that the development of artificial intelligence and emerging
technologies require bold and forward-looking decisions at Post Bank.
Rural banking leader
Hashemi said Post Bank has a unique experience in providing
services to the remote parts of the country, and added, “This valuable
experience can be transformed into a new competitive advantage in the country's
banking ecosystem by relying on modern technologies.”
“If rural residents and small businesses can access all
banking services online with appropriate quality, Post Bank can achieve a
different and leading position in the country's banking system.”
Appreciation of 30 years of service
ICT minister valued the decades-long efforts of the
employees of Post Bank across the country.
“Today, the time has come to launch a new plan for the Post
Bank's activities with a competitive and future-oriented view in line with the advances
in technology, so that it can continue to provide quality, different, and
worthy services to the Iranian people.”
Hashemi appreciated the services of 16 retirees from Tehran
Province in person who represented 33 retirees of the Post Bank of Iran in 2025.
The ceremony concluded by ICT Deputy Minister for Human
Capital Development and Resource Management Gholamreza Omidi who inaugurated online
73 projects of Post Bank in the fields of banking, development, production and
services in 22 provinces.