Iran’s deputy of science, technology, and knowledge-based economy, Hossein Afshin, has announced plans to launch the country’s first GPU-based data center by 2025.

As reported by Iran Press, the plans also include the development of a national AI operating system, for which a prototype to host AI algorithms locally is expected in six months.

Details of the data center and the operating system have not yet been provided.

What GPUs the data center might use isn't clear, given Iran is subject to a number of sanctions from the US. Earlier this year, Nvidia said the US government had told it there were to be increased restrictions on A100 and H100 products destined to "some countries in the Middle East," and that covered countries with far closer ties to the US.

Iran has long smuggled IT equipment into the country, both for government use and for Bitcoin mining.

Afshin added that AI assistants are being developed to provide real-time data to the president, vice presidents, and ministers.

He also said Iran needs to improve data collection and management and is currently establishing local chip production through the Sahand National Project.

There is little information available online about the Sahand National Project.

Data centers in Iran are concentrated in the capital Tehran. Asiatech, Mahan Server, and SamaPardaz are some of the operators in the city.