Vodafone has agreed a partnership with an Iranian Internet firm, becoming the latest Western company to enter Iran after sanctions were eased earlier this year.
Vodafone said on October 18 that, under a so-called non-equity partner market agreement, Iranian the Internet-service provider HiWeb will supply the British firm's multinational corporate customers with fixed and mobile services in Iran.
Meanwhile, the world's second-largest mobile phone company will help HiWeb expand and modernize its network and IT infrastructure, and will also support the Iranian firm in marketing, distribution, and sales.
European phone carriers are willing to tap into Iran's market of 80 million people, as international sanctions that have kept many companies out of the country were eased in January after Tehran agreed to curtail its nuclear program.
In August, the French telecoms company Orange announced it was in talks with Iran's Mobile Telecommunication Company, the country's largest mobile operator, over potential cooperation.