SAMAVA (the National Identity Verification and Inquiry System) was developed by the Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications. The system is a communication-identifier provider within the "Reliable Identity Framework." According to claims by Islamic Republic sources, SAMAVA operates with the aim of creating integration in the identity-verification process and providing identity services to governmental and non-governmental bodies (online platforms and internet services).

Official documents describe SAMAVA as a foundational digital-trust infrastructure that operates as the national authentication gateway. Instead of storing sensitive identity data in a centralized database, SAMAVA acts as a secure coordinator that queries authoritative sources — such as the Civil Registry Organization or the Communications Regulatory Authority — for real-time verification. This architecture, defined as "privacy by design," allows government services to confirm users' identities through yes/no token responses without direct access to the primary databases. While this model reduces the risk of cyberattack and increases interoperability among government institutions, it also creates a strategic dependency: any failure in the connected systems, such as the Civil Registry Organization's database, could disrupt access to all digital government services.

On the one hand, SAMAVA plays a positive role in facilitating e-government services; on the other, it has the potential to become a powerful instrument of social control and the restriction of civil liberties.