Foreign direct investment in Iran

Iran's FDI stock (1980-2010).

Foreign direct investment in Iran (FDI) has been hindered by unfavorable or complex operating requirements and by international sanctions, although in the early 2000s the Iranian government liberalized investment regulations. Iran ranks 62nd in the World Economic Forum's 2011 analysis of the global competitiveness of 142 countries.[1][2] In 2010, Iran ranked sixth globally in attracting foreign investments.[3]

Foreign investors have concentrated their activity in a few sectors of the economy: the oil and gas industries, vehicle manufacture, copper mining, petrochemicals, foods, and pharmaceuticals. Iran absorbed US$24.3 billion of foreign investment from 1993 to 2007 and US$34.6 billion for 485 projects from 1992 to 2009.[4][5]

Opening Iran's market place to foreign investment could also be a boon to competitive multinational firms operating in a variety of manufacturing and service sectors, worth $600 billion to $800 billion in new investment opportunities over the next decade.[6][7][8][9]

  1. ^ Iran ranks 69th out of 139 in global competitiveness Archived 8 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Global Competitiveness Report, World Economic Forum (2010). Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  2. ^ Iran's competitiveness rank up 7 places: WEF Archived 25 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Tehran Times, 9 August 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Iran ranks 6th in attracting foreign investments". tehran times. 2 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  4. ^ Iran attracted $24.3b foreign capital in 16 years Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Payvand's Iran News
  5. ^ "Iran Daily - Domestic Economy - 12/07/08". www.iran-daily.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009.
  6. ^ Asa Fitch: Post-Sanctions Iran Could Be A Turkey-Size Win for Investors. Wall Street Journal, 12 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  7. ^ Dean A. DeRosa & Gary Clyde Hufbauer: "Normalization of Economic Relations". (U.S.) National Foreign Trade Council. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  8. ^ Jason Rezaian: U.S. investors begin to imagine a return to Iran. Washington Post, 28 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  9. ^ Jay Solomon (1 July 2014). "Oil, Auto Companies Make Plans to Invest in Iran if Sanctions Ease". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 July 2014.