Success tips when doing business in Iran

1. While a handshake is the formal work greeting, ‘salaam’ is also commonly used. When greeting a woman, our Client should wait for her to extend her hand or else, proceed with a salaam;
2. Men should always be dressed in a suit when meeting with a prospective Client or a business associate. Women will also be expected to dress rather conservatively in the work place;
3. In Iran, working days are from Saturday to Thursday 9 am to 5 pm. Friday is observed as the holiday;
4. While making an appointment on a phone, it is an accepted practice to send an e-mail later to confirm the meeting;
5. While meetings with Government officials rarely start on time, our Clients will still be expected to be punctual;
6. Decision making in Iran can be rather slow. Our Clients must, therefore, not lose heart in the midst of the negotiations and continue showing their active interest towards reaching a deal;
7. Our Client should try and avoid arranging meetings during the month of Ramadan. It will be inconvenient for the Irani people as they observe fast during the month;
8. Our Clients are advised not to use any pressure tactics because they will work against you and will scuttle the business deal;
9. All business material must be published in both Farsi and English.

Interesting facts about Iran

1. Iran’s oil industry represent a quarter (25%) of the country’s economy. Petroleum also comprises of 80% of Iran’s annual exports. The country’s major imports includes raw materials and semi-finished goods;
2. Iran has 125 billion barrels of oil, which is roughly 10% of the world’s total oil reserves;
3. The name ‘Iran’ is actually a Persian word, which literally means ‘land of the Aryans’;
4. Iran has human settlements going back to 4000 B.C, making it one of the oldest civilizations in the world;
5. The official name for the country is ‘Islamic Republic of Iran’;
6. The capital of Iran is ‘Tehran’ which literally means ‘warm slope’;
7. In 1953, the US Government and the CIA overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister and allowed the Shah to rule the country in exchange for 40% stake in the oil industry;
8. Iran was a monarchy until 1979, when the religious clerics overthrew the regime and established an Islamic state under Ayatollah Khomeini;
9. Many Biblical characters including Queen Esther, Daniel, Cyrus and Darius are buried in Iran;
10. Iran is one of the largest producers of caviar, saffron and pistachios in the world;
11. Soccer is the most popular sport in Iran. The country, till date, has won 3 Asian Cup tournaments.