Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Natural Disasters
Type	Occurs	Comments / Details
Drought	Yes	Iran is susceptible to drought primarily due to its geographical location and topography, characterized by arid and semiarid climates with significant desert expanses. The presence of mountain ranges, such as the Zagros and Alborz Mountains, obstructs moist air masses, leading to low precipitation levels in central and eastern regions. The country's diverse climates include arid, semiarid, and cold desert types, with the central plateau experiencing extremes in temperature. Iran faces water resource challenges exacerbated by population growth, agricultural demands, and overexploitation, contributing to groundwater depletion and heightened drought risks.
Earthquakes	Yes	In the UNDP's report on reducing disaster risk, Iran is ranked number one in the list of countries with the largest average number of earthquakes per year with a magnitude equal to or greater than 5.5 on the Richter scale. It is also ranked one of the highest in terms of relative vulnerability and also in terms of the number of people killed per year as a result of earthquakes. The seismicity of Iran and its general vulnerability to earthquakes have been graphically and catastrophically illustrated by the Bam earthquake in December 2003, in which thousands of people were killed, and in the May 2004 earthquake in the Alborz Mountains, an event that magnitude equal to or greater than 5.5 on the Richter shook Tehran and produced 155 aftershocks in three days. The particular geological setting of Iran means that it is particularly prone to shallow (<10 km deep) earthquakes. In recent years, there have been some major earthquakes hit the north-west of Iran (Azerbaijan province) and south-east (Sistan & Baluchistan province). An earthquake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred in Sistan & Baluchistan province in south-eastern Iran in April 2013. In November 2017, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 occurred on the Iran-Iraq border which had 600 casualties on the Iran and Iraq side. In January 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck hit the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan province. Approximately 70 villages were reported to have damage. The affected area witnessed damage to buildings and infrastructure, along with power outages in certain neighborhoods.
Epidemics	Yes	Iran was one of the first countries that face the COVID-19 epidemic. As of 28 February 2022, Iran has reported more than 6.6 million cases and approximately 140,000 deaths.
Extreme Temperatures	Yes	Iran is renowned for its diverse climate, and various regions experience extreme temperatures during the summer season (25 June–25 August). One notable area with extremely high temperatures is the Lut Desert, also known as Dasht-e Lut. Located in south-eastern Iran, the Lut Desert has recorded some of the highest ground temperatures on Earth. In 2005, NASA's Aqua satellite recorded surface temperatures in the Lut Desert as high as 70.7 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, several southern parts of Iran, including cities like Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Abadan, are characterized by extremely high temperatures during the summer months. These areas, located along the Persian Gulf, experience scorching weather influenced by the warm waters of the Gulf, leading to hot and humid conditions. The city of Bandar Abbas, located in the province of Hormozgan, and Bushehr, along with Abadan in the Khuzestan Province, are known for their challenging climates, making summers particularly intense in terms of heat.
Flooding	Yes	Torrential rain and storms cause floods in most parts of Iran each year. It mostly causes severe damage to the villages, access roads, infrastructures of cities, agricultural lands & farms. The last flash flood occurred in Kerman province and affected the major cities of the province and caused damage to the villages. More than 2000 people relocated and most of the infrastructures were fully damaged. Heavy rains and flash flooding that began in March 2019 have affected 23 of 31 provinces across Iran. The flooding has killed 70 people and injured 613 people according to the authorities. It is estimated that 12.5 million people have been affected. Initial information indicates that 170,000 people in two provinces have been displaced. While information regarding humanitarian needs is still limited, the most affected sectors are reportedly in water, sanitation and hygiene, health, shelter, and agriculture. Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in July 2022 have led to deaths and injuries in Imamzadeh Davood, a shrine in north-western Tehran. The ongoing rainfall since mid-July has caused widespread floods and landslides across 26 provinces, resulting in at least 95 deaths, 200 missing, and numerous injuries.  The Iranian Red Crescent Society has assisted over 78,000 affected individuals, transported 3,562 to safety, and provided emergency shelter to more than 11,212 people. Floodwaters have impacted 1,428 villages, disrupted 162 transportation routes, and destroyed over 20,000 homes.
Insect Infestation	Yes	Each year Iran faces Lucas invasion to the provinces in south of Iran. Between 400 to 600 thousand hectares of Iran lands gets affected by the Lucas attack.
Wildfires	Yes	Wildfires in several natural habitats of Iran each year destroys thousands of hectares of Iran jungles. From 2011 to 2018 near 125,000 hectares of Iran jungles are destroyed by fire. Furthermore, during 2011 to 2021, more than 22,100 incidents of wildfires occurred in the country's forests and grasslands. Many of the wildfires in the country's forest areas have occurred accidentally and due to human negligence.
High Winds	Yes	Every year, During Spring (Feb – end of April) there are seasonal high winds in south-eastern parts of Iran especially Sistan - Balouchistan province near to the Pakistan border and southern parts of Kerman.
Other Comments
Man-Made Issues
Civil Strife	Yes	From 2018 to 2021, follow to deteriorating of economic condition, several protests happened against the expensive living costs and unfair payment conditions. Most of the protests were peaceful but in several cases, it also turned to civil unrest. In September 2022, protests erupted in Iran after the death of a girl called  Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for violating the hijab law.  Demands for increased women's rights drove the unrest for several months.
International Conflict	Yes	After the exit of the US from JCPOA in May 2018, the international relations of Iran with Western countries deteriorated and in 2019 and 2020 resulted in several conflicts between Iran and US. In 2021 after the US presidential election, Iran and JCPOA members started a new session of negotiations for the revival of JCPOA. The deadly bombing in Kerman City, targeting a commemorative ceremony for Qasem Soleimani, occurred on January 3, 2024, marking the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's death. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group (IS), resulted in some fatalities and numerous injuries. Following the terrorist attacks of Kerman in 2024, Iran launched missile strikes on neighboring Pakistan and Iraq, drawing condemnations from both countries and heightening concerns of escalating tensions in the Middle East On January 18, 2024, Pakistan conducted military strikes inside Iran, targeting Baloch militants in the city of Saravan. The strikes resulted in Iranian officials reporting the deaths of nine foreign nationals, including women and children. The following day, Pakistan's caretaker prime minister, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, announced the restoration of normal diplomatic relations with Iran.
Internally Displaced Persons	Yes	Iran faces severe challenges related to water resources, including rising demand, salinization, groundwater overexploitation, and increased drought frequency. The ongoing drought has placed 2 to 20 million people at high to medium risk of drought-related impacts. In recent years and lack of water in the villages has resulted in lots of families leaving villages and moving to main cities. It is expected that in the next 30 years, lots of people will leave the south and southeast of Iran due to drought.
Refugees Present	Yes	Iran hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, the majority of whom come from Afghanistan. Around 780,000 registered Afghan refugees and another 2.6 million who are either undocumented or have received a headcount laissez-passer live in Iran. 96% of Afghan refugees live in urban areas, while the other 4% live in approximately 20 refugee settlements across the country. Among all Afghans in Iran, 500,000–1,000,000 arrived in the country after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. In recent years, the Iranian Government has slowly introduced policies to increase the provision and renewal of Amayesh cards. Amayesh cards grant registered refugees conditional freedom of movement, temporary work permits, and access to the national education and healthcare systems. Primary healthcare is available for free for both refugees and undocumented people. Amayesh cardholders can also access Iran’s Universal Public Health Insurance Scheme. All children in Iran have access to primary and secondary education regardless of their status. In April 2022, the Iranian Ministry of Interior conducted a headcount of all undocumented Afghan nationals in Iran. The provision of headcount laissez-passers was initially valid until 22 October 2022 but has been extended until 20 April 2023
Landmines / UXO Present	Yes	In areas near the border of Iran-Iraq. There are landmines remaining from the 1980s during the Iran/Iraq war.  Most of Iran’s estimated 16 million landmines lie in the Iranian provinces bordering Iraq – Ilam, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Kurdistan, and West Azerbaijan.
Other Comments

 

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile.

 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Seasonal Effects on Transport
Transport Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Primary Road Transport	November to February	The mountainous regions in the northern and western parts of the country are affected by snowfalls. This increases the risk of accidents and slows down traffic. During that season the vehicles are equipped with chains, which are used if and when necessary. The road maintenance services are equipped with snowploughs.
Secondary Road Transport	November to February	Roads leading to Afghan & Iraqi refugee camps are affected by snowfalls. Tehran-Qazvin-Zanjan-Tabriz highway (the main route to the west-northwest of Iran) is mostly covered by snow during the wintertime. Furthermore, the side roads, destined for the refugee settlements in the west of Iran (Uromiyeh-Kermanshah/Zanjan-Sardasht), are also affected by the cold weather of winter
Rail Transport	May to August	Lack of wagons due to less importation of cotton from CIS countries to Iran. During Sep to April more wagons are available. Also, during the Iranian New Year (March) there might be wagon congestion or less availability of wagons. Priority is being given to passengers rather than cargo.
Air Transport	25 Sep to end of October (Hadj period) The whole year for Najaf	Tehran has two main airports, Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini (IKA). Mehrabad is located inside Tehran and is used for domestic flights and Hadj. IKA is used for international flights. During Hadj time there is congestion in Mehrabad Airport and recently in IKA (Imam Khomeini Airport) for airlines to Najaf.
Waterway Transport		N/A

 

One of the main transit highways is from the southern ports (Bandar Abbas, Shahid Rajaiee Port) to Tehran. This main road starts from Bandar Abbas and passes through Kerman, Yazd, and Isfahan and reaches Tehran at the northern side of Iran. Most cargo transit via this road (from port to customs and visa-versa) and during the Iranian new year (March) there is a congestions of trucks. In addition, this situation is similar in most roads and provinces based on holiday travels of the Iranian population (Especially to the north of Iran to the Caspian Sea).

 

As a Muslim country there are several travels to holy shrines via the two main airports of Tehran. Mehrabad as a domestic airport is in congestion for travellers to Mashhad (one of the main provinces in Iran the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza is located there).  

 

Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling
Activity Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Storage		No effects
Handling		No effects
Other

 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The strengths in national capacity include the Comprehensive Plan of Relief and Rescue and institutions such as the Disaster Task Forces, the “auxiliary provinces”, and the existing role/responsibility framework. 

In 2008 under the new National Disaster Management Law passed by the Parliament, the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO) was formed in order to utilize the national, regional, and local capacities to cope with the disasters triggered by natural hazards as well as creating an integrated management system for planning and coordinating executive activities in a cohesive manner.
To achieve concentrated information dissemination and supervision over different phases of disaster management as well as recovery of disaster-stricken areas has been another objective of the establishment of NDMO. 

The objectives of NDMO are to be achieved by utilizing the entire required potentials and means about ministries, governmental and public institutions and private sector, banks, insurance companies, military forces, non–governmental institutes, Islamic councils, municipalities, public associations, and organizations under the auspices of the Supreme Leader of the country.

To coordinate the activities of the organizations and institutions affiliated with the legislative, executive, and judiciary organs, the Armed Forces, and the other institutions and agencies for enacting regulations and standards governing the four phases of disaster management, the Supreme Council of the National Disaster Management Organization is formed. The Supreme  Council is chaired by the President of the country and its membership includes 13 Ministers, the Mayor of Tehran, Commander of Armed Forces, one of the deputies of the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (the Parliament), First deputy of the Judiciary, Heads of Management and Planning Organization, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation, Head of Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, Head of State Meteorological Organization, Head of Housing Foundation of the Islamic Revolution, as well as the Head of  NDMO.

A Disaster Management Coordination Council has been also formed under the chairmanship of the National Disaster Management Organization Head and membership of the representatives deputizing the related organizations and organs in order to coordinate activities regarding the four phases of disaster management including prevention and risk reduction, preparedness, emergency response and recovery.

Disaster Management Coordination Council at provincial level is formed under the chairmanship of Governor Generals and Governors in the provinces and cities respectively. Its membership includes the entire related organizations.

Tehran Disaster Management Organization (TDMO), affiliated to the Municipality of Tehran, is the focal point for managing and coordinating all those issues related to the probable natural disasters threatening city of Tehran. There are 300 neighbourhood established in all 22 districts of Tehran as the evacuation places for the state of emergency.

 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Iran Government Contact List.

 

Humanitarian Community

Ministries: Each ministry based on its mandate is the custodian to provide the humanitarian services to the public. Ministries have an international affair section that are responsible for coordinating the humanitarian projects with UN agencies and INGOS.

NDMO: National Disaster Management Organisation is the custodian of responding to disasters.
In case of necessity, it will coordinate the humanitarian support between different national organisations such as IRCS, military forces, NGOs and also international aids that would be provided by UN and INGOs.

IRCS: Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently the country's main humanitarian organisation and one of 190 members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It has branches in the entire country, and it is the first responder to disasters. It has thousands of human recourses consisting of hundreds of volunteers and it has a well-equipped fleet consisting of different types of cars, trucks and helicopters. International humanitarian organisations have a close collaboration with IRCS and in the time of natural disasters, usually international in-kind donations would be submitted to IRCS or would be handed over to beneficiaries by the support of IRCS.

UN agencies: Resident Coordinator office in Tehran as the head of the country team (UNCT), the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) guides and supports the work of the UNCT, ensuring effective coordination and cooperation within the mandates of each UN entity. UNHCR is the biggest UN agency in Iran with the main office in Tehran and sub offices in Kerman, Shiraz and Mashhad cities. The rest of the UN agencies only have one office in Tehran. Coordination of humanitarian projects for UN agencies is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and based on the nature of each project and with the facilitation of MFA, they would be connected to each ministry. The current list of UN entities in Iran includes: FAO, IOM, OCHA, UN-HABITAT, UNAIDS, UNAMA, UNAMI, UNDP, UNDSS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIC, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, WFP and WHO.

ICRC: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Islamic Republic of Iran works in partnership with the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and other Iranian organizations and bodies in the fields of tracing, physical rehabilitation, and international relief efforts.

INGOS: Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Relief International (RI), and INTERSOS are the three main international NGOs in Iran that provide different humanitarian supports to refugees and local people in Iran.

BAFIA: The Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) works as part of the Ministry of Interior and is responsible for management and coordination of all affairs that are related to refuges, including the international helps. All UN agencies and INGOs that are providing humanitarian support for refugees, will be coordinated by BAFIA.

NOM:  The National Organization of Migration (NoM) in Iran is a government agency tasked with addressing immigration issues. Its functions include policy development and technical cooperation to support the Iranian government in managing migration effectively, collaborating with UN Agencies and INGOs. NoM facilitates assisted voluntary returns for vulnerable migrants and refugees.

 

Regulatory Departments

The main regulatory bodies in Iran that are dealing with the commercial businesses and movements of the goods are I.R. Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), Iranian National Tax Administration (INTA), Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO), Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAOIRI), Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) and Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade (MIMT).

 

I.R. Iran Customs Administration (IRICA)

The Customs of Iran is a government organization subordinated to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, which, as the country's economic frontier, plays a pivotal and coordinating role in the country's entry and exit points and is responsible for implementing customs law and other export and import laws and regulations. It is also responsible for transit of goods and collection of import duties and customs duties and related taxes and technical requirements and trade facilitation.

https://irica.ir/index.php?newlang=eng

 

Iranian National Tax Administration (INTA)

Undertaking all matters related to the implementation of all types of direct and indirect taxes and all stages related to the identification of taxpayers, filing and preparation of tax identification, tax claims and resolving tax disputes and receiving taxes in the usual way or from Through executive operations (such as customs office) and other matters related to taxes within the framework of tax laws and other current laws of the country.

https://www.intamedia.ir/en

           

Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO)

RMTO is responsible for establishing policies and planning for highways and road transport and establishing executive coordination between different sub-sectors. Preparation of rules and regulations regarding domestic and international transportation affairs and road transport. Issuance of activity licenses for road transport companies and other licenses and necessary licenses in domestic and international transportation activities and providing the necessary arrangements to facilitate transit and export affairs. RMTO is also responsible for all different types of road construction, maintenance and related infrastructures.

https://www.rmto.ir/en

 

Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO)

PMO is responsible for construction, maintenance and management of ports and commercial maritime affairs of the country. It is also responsible for preparation, regulation and implementation of ports, maritime and commercial shipping regulations according to the relevant laws. Office of unloading and loading and transportation of goods in the ports and warehousing in the country's are managed by PMO.

https://www.pmo.ir/en/home

 

Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAOIRI)

CAO is Iran's civil aviation agency. It is the statutory corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Iran. The organization was established in July 1946 and its headquartered at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran.

The CAOIRI responsibilities are:

• Iran's skies Rules and Regulation
• Professional and private pilots
• Licensed aircraft engineers
• Air traffic controllers
• Airlines
• Licensed aerodromes
• Organisations involved in the design (DO), production (PO), continuing airworthiness management (CAMO) and maintenance (AMO) of aeronautical products
• Organisations involved in the training of pilot (ATO), air traffic controller and maintenance engineer (MTO)
• Aircraft registered in Iran
• Aero-Medical Centres (AeMC)

 

 https://www.cao.ir/web/english

 

Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)

The Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture is an Iranian non-profit organization that works with government agencies to establish coordination and cooperation between traders, owners of industries and government bodies. Government and private sector representatives attend the chamber's meetings. ICCIMA also cooperates with the government agencies and affiliated or government-controlled institutions, as well as municipalities, by providing advice for establishing trade related the rules and regulations. Two important responsibilities of ICCIMA are Review and arbitration on domestic and foreign trade issues of members through the Arbitration Center of the Chamber and validation of the certificate of origin, which guarantees the validity of the quality and specifications of the exported goods.

http://en.iccima.ir/

 

Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade (MIMT)

This ministry is responsible for formulating and implementing industrial and trade policies in Iran. It plays a crucial role in regulating commercial activities, including issues related to manufacturing, exports, and imports.

https://www.mimt.gov.ir/

 

 

Quality control departments

Any good that is going to be produced or imported to the country, based on the nature of the goods, will be subjected to certain type of quality control from different regulatory departments. The main bodies for this purpose are Iran National Standards Organization (INSO) for processed food and non-food products, Food and Drug Administration of Iran (FDA) for pharmaceutical and processed food products, Plant Protection Organization (PPO) for non-processed agricultural products and pesticides, Iran Veterinary Organization (IVO) for non-processed animal products, Communication Regulatory Authority of The I.R. Iran for communicational equipment, National Medical Device Directorate I.R. Iran for medical equipment.

 

Iran National Standards Organization (INSO)

The National Organization of Standards of Iran compiles laws and rules related to standards and implements and supervises them. INSO has a governmental structure as a subset of the Presidential Institution. Four main responsibilities of INSO are including:

1- Standardization

2- Metrology

3- Certification

4- Conformity assessment

All processed foods and non-food items that are going to be produced locally or be imported to the country need INSO conformity certificate.

http://isiri.gov.ir/en/portal/home/?331765/ISIRI-Portal

 

Food and Drug Administration of Iran (FDA)

The responsibility for this organization lies with the Deputy Minister of Food and Drugs of the Ministry of Health. Below are some of the main responsibilities of this organisation:

• Determining, compiling and announcing the rules, characteristics and regulations related to import, export, preparation, production, storage, transportation, distribution, supply and destruction of the mentioned materials, products and products.
• Determining, compiling and announcing criteria and characteristics related to evaluation and control over the programs and services of pharmaceutical, food, beverage, cosmetic, health, medical supplies and equipment, and packing and toy items.
• Issuance, extension and temporary and permanent revocation of licenses of manufacturing, importing, maintaining, transporting, supplying and distributing pharmaceutical, food, beverage, cosmetic, health, medical and non-consumable medical equipment and supplies.
• Issuance of health licenses and permits for the manufacture and import of the mentioned materials, products and items.

https://www.fda.gov.ir/

 

Plant Protection Organization (PPO)

This organization works under the management of the ministry of agriculture and it’s main goal is to protect the country from the entry, establishment and distribution of quarantine pests and diseases by adopting appropriate measures and policies. Below are some of the most important responsibilities of this organization:

• Close monitoring of the importation of unprocessed unprocessed plant products and prevent the import or quarantine the products if necessary.
• Planning and establishing coordination in joint and effective national, regional and international measures to prevent the spread and entry of plant pests and plant and garden products into pollution-free areas.
• Effective monitoring and management to prevent the spread and entry of pests and plant products into the country and promote appropriate measures to control them and regulate plans and programs to prevent the spread and transmission of pests.

https://ppo.ir/en-US/DouranPortal/1/page/Home

 

Iran Veterinary Organization (IVO)

This organization works under the management of the ministry of agriculture and it’s main goal is to provide health and animal welfare, control, prevention of animal diseases, providing and guaranteeing the health of animal products and prevention and fight against common human and animal diseases. Below are some of the main responsibilities of IVO:

• Policy-making, planning, monitoring and enforcing health and quarantine and biosafety regulations for the entry and exit and transport of livestock and livestock products (national and international) and the issuance of related health permits.
• Policy-making, planning and monitoring to ensure animal health through control, prevention and eradication of infectious and quarantine livestock diseases.
• Sanitary inspection and quality control of animal feed products from production to distribution.
• Policy-making, planning, monitoring and enforcing health and quarantine standards and biosecurity in living, breeding and keeping environments and related facilities.

https://int.ivo.ir/

 

Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) of The I.R. Iran

CRA established in 2003 under the management of Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.The aim of CRA is to execute governmental and supervision of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in the sector of Radio and Communication Regulatory so that as a supervisory foundation, it could pave the grounds for competitive market of telecommunication and increment, promotion and optimization of service quality.

• Issuance of activity and exploitation license for the provision (production or import) of any telecommunication, postal and information technology services, including terms, conditions and how to compensate for non-implementation within the framework of the Commission's approvals.
• Formulation and proposal of national standards related to communications and information technology in the country to the relevant authorities and application of standards, rules and quality control systems and approval of equipment samples in providing services and development and operation of telecommunication, postal and information technology networks in the country.
• Regulation, management and control of the country's frequency space and approval of rules and criteria for optimal use of frequency and monitoring and governance of the national frequency spectrum within the framework of the Law on Duties and Powers of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

https://www.cra.ir/en/enhome

 

National Medical Device Directorate I.R. Iran

National Medical Device Directorate is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the authenticity, quality and safety of medical, dental and laboratory devices and licensing the applicants for various actions and processes in the field of production, import, export, distribution, supply and after-sales services National Medical Device Directorate, in order to carry out its institutional mission, acts in alignment with various agencies.

- Planning to evaluate and improve the performance of medical devices.

- Certify licenses and Scope identity certificates to companies and medical device Operators (manufacturers, exporters, importers, distributors and guilds)

- supervising the entrance and discharge of medical, dental and laboratory devices.

- supervising the production and export of medical, dental and laboratory equipment including:

- Supervision and inspection of the price and distribution, supply, consumption, use and maintenance of medical devices and supplies.

- Networking and communication to exchange information and experiences between government and non-governmental sectors for the creation and exploitation of business opportunities.

http://imed.ir/DefaultEN

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.3 Laboratory and Quality Testing Company Contact List.

 

 

Duties and Tax Exemption

For last updated contact information of Iran custom office contact information, please refer to the Iran custom office website via http://www.irica.gov.ir.

 

I.R. Iran Customs Administration is a government organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance which plays a vital role as protector of the country's economic borders and coordinator at entry and exit gates of the country and is responsible for executing customs laws and regulations related to export, import, transit and collecting duties and customs taxes and presenting technical requirements and facilitating the trade in the country.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, in order to perform its legal tasks determines about the levels of required executive units in accordance with volume and kind of activity. I.R. Iran customs administration consists of customs headquarters and executive customs.

Customs Clearance procedure is free of charge and tariffs for all UN Agencies in Iran. WFP has an agreement with Ministry of Foreign Affair (MFA) and Bureau of Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA Ministry of Interior) that all food commodities imported to Iran for via WFP as humanitarian assistance are free of all customs charges and tariffs. The authorized governmental section is Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) responsible for all clearances at the ports for WFP cargos.

For all imported commodities, consignments should have Packing lists, health certificates, Phytosanitary Certificate, Certificate of Origin, Weight Certificate, Fumigation Certificate,  and Radioactivity measurement certificate, shelf life (Certificate of crop year) and Commercial invoice.   Sampling is done by custom authorities in the presence of WFP Superintendent and various tests are made to ensure that cargo is in line with declared documents and in line with national import standards. Depending on the results of the initial test and probable need for more testing if cargo in non-conforming, clearance can take between 45- 75 days, generating high demurrage costs for the government.

Emergency Response:

In the following table, state which of the following agreements and conventions apply to the country and if there are any other existing ones

Agreements / Conventions Description	Ratified by Country? (Yes / No)
WCO (World Customs Organization) member	Yes, 16-10-1959
Annex J-5 Revised Kyoto Convention	Yes, 23-02-2016
OCHA Model Agreement	Yes, Date n/a
Tampere Convention (on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations)	No
Regional Agreements (on emergency/disaster response, but also customs unions, regional integration)	n/a

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response): 

In accordance with Article 3 of Chapter 1 (exemptions), section 9 (Exemptions and prohibitions) of Iran customs law, all the cargoes that are going to be used by UN agencies or Specialized institutions affiliated with them and also the cargoes that are to be used by the UN staff and experts, in the frame of Convention on Benefits and Immunities of UN, resulted on 4 March 1974 and immunities of UN professional agencies dated 11 March 1974, with the decision of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Iran Customs office, are exempted from import duties and tax. Regular customs clearance at all entry points are required. Iranian Red Crescent Society has been mandated by Iranian Parliament to do the customs formalities and clear the relief items on behalf of international organizations.

Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status
United Nations Agencies
UN agencies are paying 9% VAT (RC is following up with MFA for reimbursement of VAT to UN agencies) WFP specific information on the Exemption Regular Regime can be found in the following document: Exemption Regular Regime for WFP - Flowchart
Non Governmental Organizations
Same as UN agencies

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure: 

Duties and Taxes Exemption Application Procedure
Generalities (include a list of necessary documentation)
In emergency situations, WFP needs to send a request for exemption to Ministry of Interior including the exact specifications of the goods that WFP will be importing to the country and distributing to the event location. The request should also explain the purpose of the import, the exact specifications of the goods, how it will be shipped and where it will be distributed. After approval, the Ministry of Interior will send the exemption letter to WFP and Islamic Republic of Iran's Customs Administration. Islamic Republic of Iran's Customs Administration will forward the letter to the relative customs offices through the country. UN representative should be presented in each customs office to clear the goods out of the customs. The whole procedure, starting from submission of request to obtaining the exemption letter will approximately take one week. Special attention has to be paid to U.S.A. donations coming to Iran due to political issues. Prior agreement should be reached with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the details of consignments on a case by case basis.
Process to be followed (step by step or flowchart)

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificate Document Requirements (by commodity)

	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicle & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
Invoice	Original, 1 copy, applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN UN/NGOs
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs
Packing Lists	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs	Original applies to UN/NGOs
Other Documents	Certificate of Origin, Health, Radioactive, GMO, Phyto & Crop year certificates			Advance notification should be sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval and related permissions should be obtained prior to order/arrival of any vehicles for import and/or transit.		WFP must obtain approval of Ministry of Telecommunication and it should be channelled through Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to import/transit of any telecommunication equipment
Additional Notes
All humanitarian relief consignments are exempted from customs duties/taxes/fees in Iran. Regular customs clearance at all entry points is required. When the consignee is a specialized U.N. agency, the cargo is recognized as humanitarian and is exempted from the applicable customs duties and levies. These formalities are done at the customs office of entry ports and the customs inspector evaluates the cargoes and relevant values.

 

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Information
Document Requirements	INSTRUCTION OF TEMPORARY IMPORT MUST BE INDICATED IN THE INVOICE, THE RECEIVER MUST DEPOSIT A GUARANTEE BEFORE THE CUSTOMS
Embargoes	NONE
Prohibited Items	DRUGS, PROTECTED SPECIES, IMITATION AND COUNTERFEIT MATERIAL, ALCOHOLIC AND SPIRITS
General Restrictions	Attention should be paid to US donations coming through Iran due to political issues. Advance permission should be obtained from MFA for any US cargo destined to Iran or in transit through Iran. All food commodities must be Halal

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Customs Clearance Document Requirements (by commodity)

	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicle & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
D&T Exemption Certificate	Exemption Letter related to the cargo	Exemption Letter related to the cargo	Exemption Letter related to the cargo	Exemption Letter related to the cargo	Exemption Letter related to the cargo	Exemption Letter related to the cargo
Invoice	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Packing Lists	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Phytosanitary Certificate	Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Other Documents	Certificate of Origin, Health, Radioactive, GMO & Crop year certificates Iran Standard Institute will take sample of the food commodities. The specifications of the food consignments should be according to government’s minimum acceptable specification.	n/a	n/a	Advance notification should be sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval and related permissions should be obtained prior to order/arrival of any vehicles for import and/or transit.	n/a	WFP must obtain approval of Ministry of Telecommunication and it should be channelled through Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to import/transit of any telecommunication equipment
Additional Notes
Every single item that arrives in the customs should have original shipping document issued by the owner to the customs as an introduction note which is called the Declaration Note. The declaration note is indicating the full details of the good as well as the owner of the consignment and should be attached to the original documents where the details are stated and the whole package should be submitted to the customs. Bill of lading is the document where the full specification of the owner is stated and the owner holding this document will be known as the owner of the consignment. Original packing list with details of the goods packaging Original invoice to have the value of the consignment arrived in the customs Original insurance certificate. In case the consignment is not holding the insurance note then the customs will automatically issue the insurance which is called local insurance and means that any damages to the consignment inside the customs will be covered by the insurance company.

Transit Regime

The customs clearance for cargo in transit is less complicated than the local imported cargo, as the customs authority’s responsibility is to make sure of the safe passage of the in-transit cargo from the entry point up to the departure point, all cargo in transit is submitted to convoy fees and escort arrange (if required) by the customs. The cargo document should indicate clearly the statement of (Cargo in Transit to – name of final destination country).

When necessary to put any levies on the foreign transit goods "the state's transport and terminals organization" will consider the matter and with due regard to the reciprocal action of other countries towards transit goods of the Islamic republic of Iran, will submit the appropriate proposal for such levies to "the high council of transport co-ordination" to be approved by the council of ministers.  Foreign transit goods are exempt from obtaining laboratory views and licenses from the Iranian Standard Organization. However, in cases of strong suspicion, customs reserve the right to defer to laboratory judgment without objection.

 

Iran strategically leverages its geographic location to establish itself as a crucial transit hub, benefitting from its positioning between major oil-producing nations in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.

On the north is connected to the Caspian Sea which through the 3 main ports connects the country to Russia on the north, the Republic of Azerbaijan to the west, and Turkmenistan to the east. The majority of Iran's imports and exports are handled through eight important ports in the south that connect Iran to open oceans. Port of Shahid Rajaie in Bandar Abbas city is the most important port of Iran that currently is under sanction of the United States of America and as a result, there is no direct international shipping line to this port. Chabahar Port in the southeast of Iran is another important port of Iran that recently Iran has made several investments to improve the port infrastructure and make it one of the transit hubs for the neighbouring countries.