State's Approach to Virtual Citizenship: A Typology of Forth & Fifth Five-year Development Plans of Iran

This study aims at addressing the question of interaction between people and state in the virtual space which explains the issue of virtual citizenship in Iran. We attempted to examine the position of Iranian citizens in constructing virtual citizenship in Iran. In other words, this paper discusses the position of citizens in the state’s plans and ways of regulations in order to examine the position of Iranian citizens in the construction of virtual citizenship. To elaborate the issue, we studied the fourth and fifth five- year development plans of Iran. We analyzed the mentioned plans by laws’ typology – as the theoretical framework- and Scenario Building - as the methodology of research. Understanding the position of Iranian citizens in the fourth and fifth development plans paves the way for understanding Iranian virtual citizenship. The conclusion point of this paper is that these two five years development plans are positively expanding the virtual services to Iranian citizens in a very comprehensive and wide angles. However, it needs improvement in terms of giving more interactive position between the State and people for producing national data and content and also more interactivity and cooperation and social and political participation.