The Iranian patenting system: An introduction

The history of the Iranian patent law and its up coming changes are described. A short description of the official structure of the Iranian patent office and the procedures for getting an Iranian patent are also described. The status of patenting in Iran is discussed using some recent statistics on the number of filed and granted Iranian patents to resident and non-resident applicants. The accessibility of Iranian patent information and the status of the patent professions are reviewed. Finally, the changes that are currently taking place, and which are expected to change the overall picture of intellectual property rights (IPRs), in Iran, are outlined. IP-considerations in Iran’s Development Plans have been presented in this respect, to show the orientation of the Iranian officials in IPRs policy making.