Iran and the World Trade Organization

Iran officially submitted an application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 19 July 1996. From July 1996 to May 2001, Iran’s application had not been considered, mainly as a result of US objections and the US veto power in the WTO Council. From May 2001 Iran’s application for WTO membership has been brought up 22 times. At the 22nd time, on 26 May 2005, Iran’s application for WTO membership was approved unanimously by the organization’s members (and thus by the United States and Israel as a goodwill gesture so as to ease the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the international community). Thus the process of Iran’s membership in the WTO started. Once Iran’s application was accepted and examined by WTO General Council, Iran became WTO observer member and started the process of full membership in the organization. In November 2009 Iran submitted the Foreign Trade Regime Memorandum as the process of accession entered a new phase.

The Ministry of Commerce is in charge of managing the process of accession to the WTO. The next step includes setting-up and meetings of the WTO working party, which include protracted negotiations on a range of economic issues. Iran will join WTO as a full member only at the conclusion of this multi-year process and the implementation of the Iranian Economic Reform Plan.

¹ New updated memorandum to be submitted by 2017.

Iran has an observer status at the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 2005. The United States has consistently blocked Iran's bid to join the WTO since Tehran first asked for membership several years ago. Iran has allocated $20 billion in loans to launch 20 trade centers in other countries. Iran had trade ties with 150 countries in 2011 with 80 countries transiting their products through Iran.

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