Rapid urbanization and the growing complexity of traffic, environmental, and service challenges have increased the need for intelligent transportation in urban management. This study aimed to identify, classify, and interpret the indicators and criteria of intelligent transportation in Persian-language studies published in domestic databases during 1390–1401 (2011–2022) and to propose a framework. The research is applied, descriptive–analytical, and based on a systematic review. Search and screening followed the PRISMA protocol across the Scientific Information Database (SID), Noormags, Magiran, and Civilica. From 304 initial records, 61 duplicates and 143 irrelevant articles were removed, leaving 100 articles in the general smart-city corpus, from which 18 were selected for final analysis. Data were extracted with a standardized form and analyzed through deductive–inductive content analysis. Findings showed that the selected studies were predominantly descriptive–analytical and single-city, with a notable increase in 1400 and 1401 (2021–2022). Strategic planning, scenario development, and institutional factors, public and sustainable transportation, and technological infrastructure and intelligent traffic monitoring were the most frequent axes, whereas non-motorized transport and smart parking, transport equity, resilience, data security, and real-world impact evaluation received less attention. Accordingly, a six-axis framework was proposed, comprising infrastructure and technology, intelligent traffic monitoring and management, public and sustainable transport, non-motorized transport and walkability, smart parking, and strategic planning and institutional factors. The results suggest that measuring intelligent transportation must go beyond technological capability and encompass functional, social, spatial, and environmental indicators.