chapter One : A Short Profile of Iran

• I. Introduction
• II. Geography and Climate
• Tourism
• III. Demographic and Educational Trends
• IV. Social, Ethnic and Cultural Traits
• Ethnic and Linguistic Groups
• Religion
• The Mass Media
• Major Newspapers & Periodicals
• News Agencies
• Broadcasting
• V. The Political System
• Background
• The Constitution
• The Velayat Faqih (Leadership)
• The Council of Guardians
• The Assembly of Experts
• The Expediency Council
• City and Village Councils
• The Three Sovereign Branches of Government
• The Executive Branch
• The Legislative Branch
• The Judiciary

• I. Performance in the Proper Perspective
• II. Five Year Development Plans
• The First Five-Year Development Plan
• The Second Five Year Development Plan
• Performance of the Second Plan
• The Khatami Economic Plan : Setting the Stage For the Third Five Year Plan
• III. Economic Performance by Key Sectors
• The Industrial Sector
• Background
• Chemicals & Cellulose
• Textiles & Garments
• Foodstuffs, Pharmaceuticals and Hygienic Goods
• Machinery & Equipment
• Casting, Ironwork and Rolled Steel
• Aviation Industries
• Vehicles & Engines
• Investment Priorities
• Structure and Location of Industry
• The Agricultural Sector
• Agriculture Exports
• Enhancement of Productivity
• Structure of Crop Production and Livestock
• Growth Prospects
• Oil Sector
• The Oil /Gas/Petrochemical Sector
• Background
• Refining
• The Gas Sector
• The Petrochemical Sector
• The Long Term
• The Mining Sector
• The Banking System
• Background
• Current Trends
• The Insurance Sector
• The Tehran Stock Exchange

• I. Introduction
• II. Transit Facilities & Infrastructural Support
• III. Infostructure
• IV. Multilateral Cooperation
• The Organization of The Islamic Conference (OIC)
• The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
• The D-8
• V. Geo- Economic Factors of Oil & Gas

• I. Introduction
• II. Foreign Investment in Iran
• Background
• Institutional Framework
• III. Setting up a Business Entity
• A) Legal Forms of Company Formation
• B) Branch Offices
• IV. Taxation Law
• V. Employment of Foreign Nationals 93
• VI. Labor Laws
• VII. Industrial Property Protection
• Patents
• Trademarks
• Copyright
• VIII. Export of Technical and Engineering Services

• I. Trade Policy
• Background
• II. Iran's Major Trading Partners

• Appendix I : Summary of Selected Projections of the Second Five-Year Plan
• Appendix II : The Usury Free Banking Law of 1983
• Appendix III : The Law on the Administration of Free Trade - Industrial Zones
• Appendix IV : The Law for the Attraction & Protection of Foreign Investments
• Appendix V : Export - Import Regulations Act Enacted 26 September, 1993(04.07.1372)
• Appendix VI Directory of Useful Addresses
• THE INSTITUTE FOR TRADE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
• THE COMMERCE PRINTING & PUBLISHING COMPANY