Iran and the World Trade Organization

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Iran officially submitted an application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 19 July 1996.^[1] From July 1996 to May 2001, Iran’s application had not been considered, mainly as a result of US objections and the US veto power in the WTO Council. From May 2001 Iran’s application for WTO membership has been brought up 22 times. At the 22nd time, on 26 May 2005, Iran’s application for WTO membership was approved unanimously by the organization’s members (and thus by the United States and Israel as a goodwill gesture so as to ease the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the international community). Thus the process of Iran’s membership in the WTO started. Once Iran’s application was accepted and examined by WTO General Council, Iran became WTO observer member and started the process of full membership in the organization.^[2] In November 2009 Iran submitted the Foreign Trade Regime Memorandum as the process of accession entered a new phase.