Editing Economy of Iran (section)

=== Foreign direct investment ===
{{Main|Foreign direct investment in Iran}}
{{See also|Assalouyeh|Tehran International Fair|Iranian citizens abroad}}
[[File:FDI Stock- Iran.png|thumb|right|[[Foreign direct investment in Iran|FDI stock in Iran (1980–2010)]]]]
In the 1990s and early 2000s, indirect oilfield development agreements were made with foreign firms, including [[Foreign Direct Investment in Iran#Buy-back|buyback contracts]] in the oil sector whereby the contractor provided project finance in return for an allocated production share. Operation transferred to [[National Iranian Oil Company]] (NIOC) after a set number of years, completing the contract.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Oil&Gas.htm |title=Iran{{Snd}} Oil and gas |access-date=September 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000413/http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Oil%26Gas.htm |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}. Atieh Bahar Consulting (2003).</ref>

Unfavorable or complex operating requirements and [[Sanctions against Iran|international sanctions]] have hindered [[Foreign Direct Investment in Iran|foreign investment]] in the country, despite liberalization of relevant regulations in the early 2000s. Iran absorbed $24.3 billion of foreign investment between the [[Iranian calendar]] years 1993 and 2007.<ref>[http://www.payvand.com/news/07/may/1313.html Iran attracted $24.3 billion foreign capital in 16 years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120459/http://www.payvand.com/news/07/may/1313.html |date=September 29, 2007 }}. Mehr News Agency, May 27, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2008.</ref> The [[Economist Intelligence Unit|EIU]] estimates that Iran's net FDI will rise by 100% between 2010 and 2014.<ref name="EIU2">[http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/05/201052271814825709.html The tragicomedy of Iran sanctions]. Aljazeera, May 22, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.</ref>

Foreign investors concentrated their activities in the energy, vehicle manufacture, copper mining, construction, utilities, petrochemicals, clothing, food and beverages, telecom and pharmaceuticals sectors. Iran is a member of the World Bank's [[Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/258875/irans_third_development_plan_an_appraisal/index.html |title=Iran's Third Development Plan: an Appraisal |access-date=July 26, 2010 |last=Dr. Amuzegar |first=Jahangir |date=March 20, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129212318/http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/258875/irans_third_development_plan_an_appraisal/index.html |archive-date=November 29, 2011 }}</ref> In 2006, the combined net worth of [[Iranian citizens abroad]] was about 1.3 trillion&nbsp;dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2781/html/economy.htm |title=Expats Worth $1.3 Trillion |access-date=March 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230222828/http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2781/html/economy.htm |archive-date=December 30, 2007 }}. ''Iran Daily'', February 14, 2007.</ref>

According to the head of [[Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (Iran)#Organization for Investment Economic and Technical Assistance|the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETAI)]], in 2008 Iran ranked 142 among 181 countries in working conditions. Iran stands at number 96 in terms of business start-ups, 165 in obtaining permits, 147 in employment, 147 in asset registration, 84 in obtaining credit, 164 in legal support for investments, 104 in tax payments, 142 in overseas trade, 56 in contract feasibility and 107 in bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3265/html/economy.htm |title=Working Conditions to Improve |access-date=November 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603071606/http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3265/html/economy.htm |archive-date=June 3, 2009 }}. ''Iran Daily'', November 9, 2008.</ref> Firms from over 50 countries invested in Iran between 1992 and 2008, with Asia and Europe the largest participants as shown below:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3289/html/economy.htm |title=$34b Foreign Investment in 16 years |access-date=February 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210233037/http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3289/html/economy.htm |archive-date=December 10, 2008 }}. ''Iran Daily'', December 7, 2008.</ref>

{| style="margin:1em; background:#f9f9f9; border:1px #aaa solid; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; float:center"
|- style="background:lightblue;"
! Continent of origin !! Leading countries investing in Iran (1992–2008)!! Number of projects !! Total amount invested
|-
|Asia || India, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Indonesia and Oman || 190 ||$11.6 billion
|-
|Europe || Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, UK, Turkey, Italy and France (20 countries in total) || 253 ||$10.9 billion
|-
| Americas ||Canada, Panama, the US and Jamaica ||7 ||$1.4 billion
|-
| Africa|| Mauritius, Liberia and South Africa || {{N/A}}||$8 billion
|-
| Australia|| Australia || 1 || $682 million
|}

The economic impact of a partial [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|lifting of sanctions]] extends beyond the energy sector; ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that "consumer-oriented companies, in particular, could find opportunity in this country with 81 million consumers, many of whom are young and prefer Western products".<ref name="Krauss">Clifford Krauss, [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/business/international/iran-nuclear-deal-oil-prices.html A New Stream of Oil for Iran, but Not Right Away], ''The New York Times'' (July 14, 2015).</ref> The consumer-goods market is expected to grow by $100 billion by 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title = P&G's Road Map to Business in Iran |author = John Letzing |newspaper = Wall Street Journal |date = July 15, 2016 |page = B1 }}</ref>

In 2015, Iran was considered "a strong [[emerging market]] play" by investment and trading firms.<ref name="Krausws">[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/business/international/iran-nuclear-deal-oil-prices.html Clifford Krauss: A New Stream of Oil for Iran, but Not Right Away] ''The New York Times'', July 14, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2015.</ref> Opening Iran's market place to [[Foreign direct investment in Iran|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.<ref name=WSJ3>[https://blogs.wsj.com/middleeast/2014/03/12/post-sanctions-iran-could-be-a-turkey-size-win-for-investors/ Asa Fitch: Post-Sanctions Iran Could Be A Turkey-Size Win for Investors]. ''The Wall Street Journal'', March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.</ref><ref name=NFTC>Dean A. DeRosa & Gary Clyde Hufbauer: [http://www.nftc.org/default/trade/NFTC%20Iran%20Normalizaton%20Book.pdf "Normalization of Economic Relations"]. (U.S.) [[National Foreign Trade Council]]. November 21, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2012.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/us-investors-begin-to-imagine-a-return-to-iran/2014/05/27/c5cda6d7-0c8a-442a-8577-a0726f494199_story.html Jason Rezaian: U.S. investors begin to imagine a return to Iran]. ''The Washington Post'', May 28, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-auto-companies-make-plans-to-invest-in-iran-if-sanctions-ease-1404257812 |title = Oil, Auto Companies Make Plans to Invest in Iran if Sanctions Ease |author = Jay Solomon |newspaper = Wall Street Journal |date = July 1, 2014 |access-date = July 5, 2014 }}</ref>