Iran Eases Business Licensing Rules for Foreign Nationals

DID Press: Iran has introduced new measures to facilitate business activities for eligible foreign nationals by removing identification barriers and simplifying administrative requirements for obtaining business permits.

The head of Iran’s National Center for Monitoring and Improving the Business Environment under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance announced that foreign nationals can now apply for business licenses after key obstacles in the national licensing portal were resolved.

He said that previous challenges related to identity verification have been addressed through coordination with relevant institutions, enabling an improved electronic registration process for applicants.

In addition, the requirement to provide employment certificates—previously a major hurdle—has been removed, significantly easing the licensing procedure.

According to the official, legally residing foreign nationals in Iran can now apply for and track business licenses through the national online portal in the same way as domestic applicants.

Experts say the move could help promote legal and transparent economic activity among foreigners, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract investment, and create new job opportunities.

The official also noted that efforts are ongoing to resolve verification issues for foreign legal entities, allowing companies owned by foreign nationals to also benefit from the platform’s services.

Iran’s National Licensing Portal was established to reduce bureaucracy, accelerate licensing procedures, and improve transparency in the business environment, and it has already processed a significant share of the country’s economic permits.

The new decision is seen as an important step toward regulating and facilitating foreign participation in Iran’s economy.