TEHRAN The Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone, Ahmad Mo'tamedi said on Saturday that Iran's cabinet ministers has approved a bill to change the name of the ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT) to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Speaking at a gathering on 'structural changes and privatization' Mo'tamedi said the bill would be presented to the Majlis for a final ratification.

He added that 'restructuring' was the most important article of his ministry's proposal to the government given the ever-increasing national and international developments in the area of communications and information technology.

Mo'tamedi also said that this change will not only include the structure but also will entail modification in the ministry's rules and regulations, its practical approaches, and also aims to remove the current shortcomings.

He added that 'restructuring' should happen within the frameworks of privatization, otherwise the activities of the ministry could not be upgraded to regional and intentional levels.

In the absence of free communications with the outside world, it would be difficult for countries to keep pace with world economic and social developments, he said.

Mo'tamedi pointed out Iran's telecommunications structures should be revised to encourage more participation on the part of the private sector.