The first Reference Laboratory for the Development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has gone into operation in a partnership between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Institute of Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS). In a ceremony held at the IASBS on Monday, 3 February 2025, the IoT Development Reference Laboratory was inaugurated in the presence of the Head of the National Information and Communications Technology Park, Dr Mostafaa Maafi, and provincial officials, to mark the Ten Days of Dawn.

At the opening ceremony of the first Internet of Things laboratory, which was held in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the IASBS in the New Technologies Building of the University's Science and Technology Park, Dr Maafi said, "If the elites have a prestigious business in their province, they will stay in that province, and the parks' greatest achievement will be to retain the provincial elite." He said, "We will advance this important goal through universities and provincial science and technology parks, and plan to select 12 provincial science and technology parks as pilots for this project, along with the ICT Park, so that they can become pioneers in this field.”

Then the IASBS President, Prof Saadollah Nasiri-Gheydari took the floor and said, "Since its establishment, this university has always emphasised the importance of quality in education, research, and technology, and we have never compromised on quality indicators. The IASBS is now in a better position in the country in all scientific, research, education, student services, and other indicators defined by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. For example, in a ceremony to honour the country's scientific leaders, five IASBS lecturers were among the country's leaders. These successes are due to loyalty to quality indicators.”

The IASBS President said the opening of the first Internet of Things (IoT) Laboratory through a partnership between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the IASBS was a blessed event. He said, "We must take artificial intelligence seriously and know that we are not far behind the world. We are also working in the field of smartisation, he added, saying that a suitable ecosystem can be defined and implemented in collaboration between the university, the IASBS Science and Technology Park, the existing industries in the province, agricultural and greenhouse capacities, the water, electricity and other fields for smartisation and implementation of the capacities of the Seventh Development Plan.”

Next, the Head of the IASBS Science and Technology Park, Dr Seyed Ehsan Nedaaee Oskoee, took the floor at the opening ceremony of the IoT Lab project and said, "The main idea of ​​this laboratory is for technology teams that intend to implement a programme and turn their ideas into products, to use this environment to reduce costs. Given that the initial cost of turning an idea into a product is high and the equipment and resources available in the park are limited, this laboratory has been set up and launched to further support the creators of ideas. With the opening of this laboratory, he said, those who have just graduated and do not have sufficient financial resources can use the IoT Lab’s facilities to grow and develop their businesses.”

In addition to facilitating the process of innovation and technology development, IoT labs play an important role in increasing the interoperability, security, and reliability of systems and organisations. Such centres also create a learning environments for experts and students to interact and are effective in strengthening the skills needed by this industry and its diverse applications in different sectors.