Regulation of Foreign Car Imports in the Legal System of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

The automotive industry, as an industry that has not only exerted significant influence on the economic and social systems of societies but has also been heavily influenced by them, occupies a crucial role in contemporary economies. In recent decades, automobile imports have been profoundly affected by macroeconomic policies and international relations. This study aims to analyze the regulation of foreign car imports in light of Article 44 of the Constitution, conducted through library-based research. A brief overview of Iran’s automotive industry reveals that automobile manufacturing is the most profitable trade in Iran after the oil industry. Among the anti-monopoly laws in Iran, which constitute the foundation of the Iranian competition law system, the Law on the Implementation of General Policies of Article 44 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran is of particular importance. The central question of this study is: how is the regulation of foreign car imports structured in light of Article 44 of the Constitution? The primary hypothesis suggests that the regulations concerning foreign car imports, as framed within Article 44, safeguard the rights of foreign car importers but also suffer from deficiencies in this domain. Findings indicate that the scattered distribution of regulatory tools across 23 different institutions has led to inconsistency and lack of policy coherence in this industry. This issue, compounded by the regulatory bodies’ focus on price control and trade restrictions—particularly under conditions of external shocks such as sanctions—has resulted in unpredictable regulatory decisions and an unsuitable business environment for industry stakeholders. To prevent such inconsistencies in policy formulation and implementation, it is deemed necessary to develop a comprehensive strategic document for the automotive industry so that all scattered and often inefficient practices may be consolidated into a unified and effective regulatory framework.