Foreign Currency Transfers

What does foreign currency transfers mean base on Iranian law and regulation?

By foreign currency transfers, it means transfer of any amounts including the money emerged by foreign investment performance and/or other amounts which are transferred in foreign currency. These transfers specifically are included in two categories:
A: Capital transfer including dividends or capital profit, principle of capital, capital gains and the amounts of damage compensation resulting from removal of ownership and confiscation of foreign capital;
B: Other foreign currency transfers including all types of foreign currency transfers gained through invention patents, technical knowledge, technical and engineering aids, the trade names and signs contracts and similar contracts and agreements.

Are there any restrictions imposed on the amount of transferable funds to Iran?

No, the law has made no restrictions on the amount of transfer and frequency of transfers in each year.

What is the procedure of providing foreign currency for foreign currency transfer to Iran?

Providing foreign currency for hard currency transfer of investments will be made through purchasing foreign currency from bank system as per the case, from the foreign currency earned through exports or presenting investments services. In any events, procedure of providing foreign currency should be mentioned in the investment permit for the foreign currency transfers.
What are the Iranian legal formalities in foreign investments?
Essentially, any foreign currency transfer, including capital transfers and other will take place by official request of the foreign investor and/or the joint company/ investee firm by the foreign investor; and, all transfers will be payable in favor of foreign investor after making legal deductions.

If based on any particular regulations or the decisions of the Iranian government, the products of the project subject of investment are not allowed to be exported; in what manner the foreign currency for the profit and capital transfer will be achieved?

In exceptional cases when export is not allowed, the foreign investor can sell the products in local market, buy the foreign currency from banking system and transfer it accordingly. Obviously, the investor, if it intends, can export other authorized commodities as well.

Is it allowed for foreign investment to invest in oil and gas upstream fields?

In oil and gas upstream fields, foreign investment is merely allowed in the framework of contract arrangements; however, in downstream fields, direct foreign investment is allowed.

Is the export foreign investment allowed to hold bank accounts outside Iran?

It is allowed to open bank accounts outside Iran to maintain the exports revenues of the foreign investments; and its goal is enabling direct access of foreign investor to the foreign currency from exports to receive the dividends and other payments which should be made to it.

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