Iran Business Access for Armenian and International Companies

Iran can be reached legally by Armenian and other EAEU companies through a free trade agreement that has been fully in force since 15 May 2025. The real work is on the Iranian side: a registered importer, a standards certificate and a payment route that your bank accepts.

What does the EAEU–Iran trade agreement change?

The Eurasian Economic Commission records an interim agreement signed on 17 May 2018 and in force from 27 October 2019, extended by a protocol in 2022. The full-format agreement was signed on 25 December 2023 and, according to an EEC headline, entered into force on 15 May 2025.

Armenpress, quoting the EEC, reports that both sides committed to preferential terms for 90% of goods and that the average tariff on EAEU exports to Iran falls from 20% to 4.5%. Treat these numbers as a headline; the tariff line for your product is what counts.

How does an import into Iran work?

• Anyone doing foreign trade in Iran needs a Commercial Card from the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, after online registration in the Comprehensive Trade System.
• Importers register their imports with that Ministry. Registration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance is still needed for duties and taxes.
• The EEC guidance states no general local-agent requirement, but payments run through agent banks and goods are cleared by declarants with a power of attorney. Pharmaceuticals need a registered foreign producer and an exclusive representative.
• Imports are checked against standards by ISIRI; goods that need a conformity certificate are blocked without it. ISIRI, ISO, IEC, EU and other listed standards are accepted.
• Food, cosmetics and hygiene products need a Ministry of Health licence; plants need a phytosanitary certificate and animal products a veterinary certificate.

The same guidance, dated 2020, describes payments by letter of credit, bank draft or documentary bill, and says foreign sellers obtain a seller ID through ntsw.ir. Rates and bank procedures may have changed since then.

What about payments and sanctions?

Payments are the hardest part. Several banks refuse Iran-related transactions whatever the trade agreement says. On 29 September 2025 the Council of the EU reimposed restrictive measures on Iran, including a ban on oil, gas and petrochemical trade, asset freezes on the Central Bank of Iran and major commercial banks and limits on Iranian cargo flights to EU airports. US rules are separate and were not checked for this article.

Before you sign, ask your own bank in writing whether it will process the payment, and ask a licensed sanctions lawyer for a view on your product and counterparty.

How big is Armenia–Iran trade?

Iran's ambassador to Armenia said on 26 September 2025 that bilateral trade was expected to exceed USD 900 million in 2025 and could reach USD 3 billion with better infrastructure, without a timeframe. The Agarak–Kajaran road, part of the North–South corridor, was under construction at that time.

What to verify before you act

• The tariff line and preferential rate for your product under the full EAEU–Iran agreement.
• Current Iranian duties, trading profit tax and bank procedures; the 2020 guidance may be out of date.
• US sanctions exposure of your company, bank and counterparty.
• Border crossing hours and capacity at Agarak/Norduz.

Sources

• Eurasian Economic Commission: trade agreements with Iran
• EEC: EAEU and Iran full free trade agreement entered into force
• Armenpress, 16 May 2025: EAEU–Iran free trade agreement
• EEC, Guidance on the Islamic Republic of Iran Trade Regulation (2020)
• Council of the EU, 29 September 2025: Iran sanctions snapback
• Armenpress, 26 September 2025: Armenia–Iran trade

Reviewed 25 October 2026