Iran's customs administration will accept bank guarantees for import VAT for 90 days

Iran's customs administration has issued circular number 513286/1405, dated 22 Tir 1405 (13 July 2026), allowing value added tax on all imported goods to be lodged as a bank guarantee instead of a cash payment for a period of 90 days. The stated legal basis is clause (t) of article 38 of the law on removing barriers to competitive production and article 6 of the customs affairs law. The Supreme National Security Council had already permitted VAT and related levies to be taken as a bank guarantee in the same way as import duties.

The measure covers goods already cleared into customs areas as well as goods arriving up to the end of Shahrivar 1405 (22 September 2026). Goods must be declared within 30 days of the warehouse receipt being issued, and within 15 days of the circular's notification where the receipt predates it. Goods held at ports, terminals and border customs offices must additionally carry a written undertaking that they will leave those premises within 30 days of the customs permit. In those cases the guarantee is taken for 45 days first and can be extended by another 45 days once full removal is confirmed.

The stated aim is to ease the cash shortage facing manufacturers and importers and to reduce pressure on companies' working capital. The request had been put forward by the customs commission of the Iran Chamber of Commerce and the provincial dialogue councils.