Product Certification in Iran

Iranian law has very strict rules regarding the export of goods to Iran.
The technical rules for trade in Iran are established by the Iranian Standards Institute (ISIRI).
Therefore, the foreign trader is required to know and correctly apply the technical rules regarding the quality and characteristics of the goods to be introduced into the Iranian territory, and must evaluate, together with the importer, the measures to be taken to comply with these technical rules. In fact, if the rules imposed by the ISIRI are not observed, the product cannot be introduced into Iranian territory.
Very severe penalties can be applied in case of violation of the aforementioned rules. In order to properly assess and address this problem, it is preferable that the exporter / importer applies for a certification of the quality of the product to be exported to Iran by a competent body ("Inspection Certificate"). The certificate of a product is a document that certifies the quality and characteristics of a foreign product and its compliance with national and / or international technical regulations. This certificate is issued by the Certifying Bodies located in Iranian territory.
The certificate can also be issued by foreign entities, located in the exporter's territory, which have been expressly authorized. The certificates issued by the competent foreign bodies must in any case be authenticated by the local Chamber of Commerce. The importer and the exporter must work closely together in order to inform the Certifying Body of all the characteristics of the product to be introduced in Iran as well as the type of commercial operation to be performed.
For example, the Certifying Body must be informed about:

• The quality of the product;
• The quantity of product to be exported;
• Packaging of goods;
• The estimated time for transport.

In some cases, certification is a necessary requirement for the trade of a product in Iran, for reasons of health, consumer protection and the environment. This means that the export of certain goods must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity issued by a competent body (the "Inspection Certificate"): otherwise, the export of that product will not be permitted by the national customs authorities.
The list of the goods is indicated in the legislative materials link. At present, nearly 200 types of products are subject to the special procedure for trade in Iran.
They are divided into 10 categories: mechanics and metallurgy, electrical and electronics, weight and capacity, samples, and brands of precious metals, automotive and dynamics, construction and mineral, food and agriculture industry, textiles and leather, packaging and cellulose materials.The Certificate of Conformity of a product intended for trade in Iran also plays a fundamental role in the negotiation of a letter of credit. In fact, the Central Bank of Iran (Banca Markazi) requires this certification to issue a letter of credit for the importer. Therefore, the latter must choose a Certifying Body (which must be approved by the exporter) among the bodies included in the "seller list" provided by the Markazi Bank. In the event that the importer does not indicate any entity, Banca Markazi will independently indicate the competent entity that will handle the specific transaction.