Iranian Foreign Trade Law Principles in Harmony or in Discord with the International Trade Law Principles

Abstract

There are principles in Iranian foreign trade (export-import) law, some of which, or some of whose exemptions, do not exist in or are not in harmony with the current principles of international trade law. Some of them are government monopoly over foreign trade, government encouragement of exports, discriminatory treatment among the countries trading with Iran, reciprocal trade conduct with the other countries, exemption of exports from customs duties, permission of imports vis-a-vis exports, and seeking a trade balance with other countries (trade partnerships). These are mainly because Iran aims as much as possible to maximize its non-oil exports and minimize its imports. On the other hand, as an oil-rich country with only a little production in goods, it serves as a great market for imports from other countries. Iran is keen to join the World Trade Organization. But, seemingly besides other mainly political reasons, some of its already established legal principles in the field of foreign trade and other related economic and commercial fields, bar its achievement of this important goal.