Overview of the Legal Framework

Iran's intellectual property legal framework mainly comprises:

• Law for Registration of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks, 2008, as amended 2019

• Executive Regulations, 2009

• Law on the Protection of Authors, Composers and Artists, 1970

Competent authority:

• Intellectual Property Center (IPC) – responsible for the registration of trademarks, patents and designs;

• Established as a joint structure under the Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade (MIMT).

Iran is a member of WIPO, the PCT, the Paris Convention and TRIPS (observer country).

International Cooperation and Regional Alignment

• Iran is a member of WIPO, the PCT, the Paris Convention and TRIPS (observer country);

• Participates in the Asian Intellectual Property Network (ASEAN+IP Asia) and the ECO Regional Innovation Platform;

• Cooperates with OAPI and SAIP through WIPO on data sharing and training;

• Implementing the 'Iran National IP Strategy 2025', strengthening digitalization and international standardization.

Trademark System

Filing Routes

• National trademark applications may be filed directly with the Intellectual Property Center (IPC);

• Iran is not yet a member of the Madrid Protocol, so it cannot be designated via international registration under the Madrid System.

Classification Standard

• Uses the Nice Classification;

• Only single-class applications are accepted.

Examination Procedure

• Formal examination: around 1–2 months;

• Substantive examination: around 6–9 months;

• Publication period: oppositions may be filed within 30 days from the publication date.

Use and Renewal

• Registration term is 10 years, renewable indefinitely;

• Non-use for 3 consecutive years may lead to cancellation.

Examination Features

• Examination is conducted in Persian (Farsi);

• Focus on distinctiveness, similarity and religious sensitivity;

• Registration is refused for trademarks that violate Islamic beliefs or national emblems.

Patent System

Types of Protection and Term

• Invention patents: 20 years from the filing date;

• Utility models: 10 years from the filing date.

Examination Mechanism

• Invention patents are subject to a substantive examination system;

• A request for examination must be filed within 1 year from the filing date;

• The average examination period is about 2–4 years.

International Routes

• Iran has been a PCT member state since 2013;

• National phase entry is available via the PCT international phase;

• Iran is not a member of the EPO or GCC regional patent systems.

Key Features

• Examination is conducted in Persian (with an English abstract optionally attached);

• First-to-file principle applies;

• Annual renewal fees are required to maintain patents in force;

• Stricter examination standards apply to pharmaceutical and chemical inventions.

Industrial Design Protection

Legal Basis

• Law for Registration of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks (2008) and its Executive Regulations.

Scope of Protection

• The external appearance of products, including shapes, patterns, lines, colours and ornamentation;

• Applicable to both industrial and handicraft products.

Term of Protection

• From the registration date, 5 years, renewable twice for additional 5-year periods each, up to a maximum of 15 years.

Examination Procedure

• Examination period is approximately 6–9 months;

• Examination is conducted in Persian;

• Primarily formal examination.

Key Features

• A single registration is valid nationwide;

• Iran is not yet a member of the Hague Agreement;

• Partial design combination applications are allowed.