Despite efforts by the Iranian parliament and different economic Ministries in recent years to move towards greater economic liberalisation, the structure of economic legislation and activity remains centralised in most areas. For foreign businesses intending to market their products and/or services in Iran this translates into the fact that the Iranian client and/or customer would be obliged by law to apply for and obtain different import permits through often lengthy and cumbersome processes. Added to this is the complicated banking process before a letter of credit could be issued by an Iranian commercial bank in the benefit of the foreign supplier. As for agriculture and food products, two main sets of permits must be obtained: firstly, health and/or quarantine permits which allow the goods to be imported from the viewpoints of human health, food safety, plant hygiene, etc; and secondly, commercial permits which allow the goods to be imported from the viewpoint of economic or, rather, market justification based on the existing volume of demand for the goods in the domestic market. The reader can find below a checklist of the obligatory import permits for major categories of agri-food products:

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End food products and food ingredients
As Iran is nearly self-reliant in the production of many food commodities such as red and white meat, as well as most major dairy products, import permits for these products depend upon seasonal demands in the market. Import permits from the following authorities will be necessary: Ministry of Human Health, Iranian Atomic Energy Agency (especially for powder products such as milk powder), Iranian Veterinary Organisation and Ministry of Commerce.

Animal breeding products
These are widely imported based on licenses from the following bodies: Iranian Veterinary Organisation, Sate Animal Breeding Centre (for bovine genetic material), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce.

Animal feed and veterinary pharmaceuticals
Import permits from the Iranian Veterinary Organisation, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce are required.

Plant propagation products
The buyer must obtain import permits from: the Plant Protection Organisation, Seed & Plant Research Institute (for trial plantings and variety registration of seed potatoes and vegetable seeds), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce.

Greenhouse structures and installations
Clients are obliged to apply for import permits from Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce.

Food processing & agricultural machinery
Iranian investors should apply for permits issued by Ministries of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce.