Tehran, Iran, Aug. 15
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Despite a recent statement that the Iranian government will not allow foreign companies to sell in the country without having a branch, some legal exceptions may allow the companies to go on having their Iranian market, Trend has learned.
The fact was tacitly pointed to by Iran’s Guilds Affairs Center chief Yadollah Sadeqi in a press conference in answer to a question about the fate of Apple’s market in Iran after the government restriction is put into practice, Trend correspondent reported Aug. 15.
The government recently gave a six-month deadline to foreign companies to open a branch in the Islamic Republic if they want to continue their sales in the country. The Iranian government cited fight on smuggling as reason for the decision to disallow non-franchised brands.
“There is no Apple branch in Iran, that is, nobody has so far applied for opening one,” Sadeqi said.
However, he revealed that the law allows companies to circumvent the condition.
“Non-franchised companies, which also lack interest in being franchised, but whose products are sold in the country in large numbers, will be given permit to sell here provided that they have customer service agencies,” Sadeqi said.
“If the Consumer and Producer Protection Organization gives the green light and the products have no enough domestically-made rivals, orders for them can be placed,” he went on to say.
The ice in economic ties between Iran and the US was expected to thaw in the wake of a nuclear deal that was implemented in January. However, there has been little show of willingness from either side to improve the ties.
The Iranian government has banned the US-made consumer goods and has already prevented such brands as Chevrolet, McDonalds and KFC from the market.
On the other side, although Iran has been hosting numerous business delegations from around the world since the months leading to the nuclear deal, American companies have shown not to be a big fan of the Iranian market.