Farsi Translation Requirements for PCT National Phase Entry in Iran

For a PCT application entering the Iranian national phase, a Farsi translation is a core national-phase requirement. The translation must be furnished within the applicable national-phase time limit and becomes part of the record on which the Iranian application is prosecuted.

Translation in this context is therefore more than an administrative step. The wording of the Farsi claims, the consistency of technical terminology, the treatment of international-phase amendments and the accuracy of textual matter in drawings can all affect examination and the practical scope of the Iranian application.

This article explains what must be translated for PCT national phase entry in Iran, how Article 19 and Article 34 amendments should be handled, what happens where translation errors are identified, and the practical points foreign patent counsel should consider before instructing the translation.

By Mojgan Honarmand Javan — Founder & Managing Attorney, JavanLex Legal Solutions
Last reviewed: October 2026

Farsi Translation for Iran PCT Entry — At a Glance

The current WIPO PCT Applicant’s Guide for Iran states that the national-phase translation must be furnished in Farsi, electronically and within the applicable Article 22 or Article 39 time limit. PCT Legal

In This Article

Why Is a Farsi Translation Required for the Iranian National Phase?

The language of proceedings before the Iranian Intellectual Property Center is Farsi.

Accordingly, where an international application enters the Iranian national phase, the required national-phase documents must be made available to the Iranian Office in Farsi.

The current WIPO Iran chapter expressly states that the translation must be filed within the applicable national-phase time limit and in electronic form. PCT Legal

Once filed, the Farsi text becomes part of the Iranian prosecution record.

That distinction matters. A national-phase translation should not be treated as a general-language translation prepared only to satisfy an administrative requirement. The translation must preserve the technical and legal meaning of the source application closely enough to support substantive examination under Iranian patent law.

JavanLex’s current PCT reference therefore treats the Farsi text as a substantive prosecution document, with particular attention to terminology, claim dependencies, reference numerals, units and consistency between the claims and description. JavanLex_PCT_National_Phase_Ira…

Practice Note — Translation is part of patent prosecution

A linguistically natural translation is not enough if it changes the technical meaning, claim dependency or scope of the source text.

What Parts of the PCT Application Must Be Translated into Farsi?

For national-phase entry under PCT Article 22, Iran currently requires translation of:

• the description;
• the claims;
• any text matter in the drawings; and
• the abstract.

Where claims have been amended under Article 19, additional requirements apply to the original and amended claim sets. PCT Legal

For entry under Article 39(1) following Chapter II, the translation likewise covers the description, claims, text matter in the drawings and abstract. Where any of these parts has been amended, the Iranian national-phase requirements call for treatment of both the material as originally filed and the material as amended through the annexes to the international preliminary examination report. PCT Legal

The practical result is that the translator and Iranian counsel should not work from a single document labelled merely “final specification” without first checking the PCT procedural history.

How Should Article 19 Amendments Be Handled?

Article 19 allows an applicant to amend the claims during the international phase.

Where Article 19 amendments have been made, Iran’s current national-phase summary requires the claims to be handled both as originally filed and as amended, together with any statement under Article 19 where applicable. PCT Legal

The PCT Regulations likewise recognize that a designated Office may require translation of both versions of the claims. Rule 49.5 expressly addresses the translation of claims as filed and claims amended under Article 19. PCT Legal

What should foreign counsel send?

Where Article 19 amendments exist, the instruction package should identify:

• the original claims;
• the complete amended claim set;
• the Article 19 statement, if one was filed; and
• the applicant’s intended basis for Iranian prosecution.

This is particularly important where subsequent Chapter II amendments were also made.

Why this matters

If different versions of the claims exist, translating only the most recent document without reviewing the PCT history can obscure which version belongs to which procedural stage.

The Iranian filing should therefore be prepared from an identified and controlled source set rather than from an informal working copy.

How Should Article 34 and Chapter II Amendments Be Handled?

Where the applicant has requested international preliminary examination, amendments may have been made under PCT Article 34.

Unlike Article 19, which concerns amendments to the claims, Article 34 amendments may affect the claims, description and drawings during Chapter II.

For Iranian national-phase entry under Article 39(1), the current WIPO Iran chapter states that, where relevant parts have been amended, both the material as originally filed and the material as amended by the annexes to the international preliminary examination report must be addressed. PCT Legal

The practical review should therefore ask:

• Was a Chapter II demand filed?
• Were Article 34 amendments submitted?
• Which pages were replaced?
• Are amended pages annexed to the international preliminary examination report?
• Were Article 19 amendments also made earlier?
• Which text is intended to form the basis of Iranian prosecution?

JavanLex’s internal PCT reference similarly requires the Article 19 and Chapter II amendment history to be identified before national-phase filing. JavanLex_PCT_National_Phase_Ira…

Practice Note — Do not assume “latest version” is enough

In a PCT file containing international-phase amendments, the translation package should be mapped against the official amendment history before filing.

What Happens to Text Appearing in Drawings?

Textual matter appearing in the drawings is also part of the required translation.

Under PCT Rule 49.5, where a drawing contains text, the translated text may be furnished using a copy of the original drawing with the translation replacing the relevant text, or through a newly executed drawing containing the translated matter. WIPO

This means drawings should be reviewed before the translation is finalized.

Common examples include:

• labels in mechanical drawings;
• flow-chart terminology;
• block-diagram labels;
• annotations;
• legends;
• words identifying components; and
• textual explanations contained inside figures.

Numbers and reference numerals should also be checked carefully so that translated drawings remain consistent with the description and claims.

A discrepancy between the Farsi description and the terminology appearing in the drawing set can create avoidable examination issues.

How Should Technical Terminology and Claim Dependencies Be Handled?

The translation of patent claims requires more than ordinary fluency in Farsi and the source language.

The translation should preserve the legal and technical relationships contained in the source claim set.

Particular attention should be given to:

Claim dependencies

A dependent claim should refer to the same parent claim or claims as the source text. A change in dependency can materially alter the claim structure.

Technical terminology

A technical term should generally be translated consistently throughout the description and claims unless the source text itself makes a distinction.

This is particularly important in:

• pharmaceuticals;
• chemistry;
• biotechnology;
• engineering;
• telecommunications;
• software-enabled inventions; and
• complex mechanical applications.

Units, ranges and numerical expressions

Numerical ranges, dimensions, concentrations, percentages, temperatures and other technical values should be checked independently.

Reference numerals

References in the claims and description should remain aligned with the drawings.

Functional expressions

Expressions defining an element through its function require particular care because a seemingly minor linguistic change can make the resulting Farsi claim broader, narrower or simply less clear than the source claim.

For this reason, a professionally useful Iran national-phase translation process should include terminology consistency and claim-structure review, not only sentence-by-sentence translation.

Can Translation Errors Be Corrected After National Phase Entry?

Yes. The current WIPO Iran chapter expressly states that errors in the translation of the international application may be corrected by reference to the text of the international application as originally filed. PCT Legal

This is an important safeguard, but it should not be understood as permission to rewrite the application freely after filing.

A translation correction must remain a correction of the linguistic rendering of the original international application.

It should not be used to introduce new technical information or subject matter that was not contained in the original disclosure.

JavanLex’s internal reference makes the same distinction: translation errors can be corrected against the original international application, but the correction must not become a vehicle for adding new subject matter. JavanLex_PCT_National_Phase_Ira…

Practical consequence

Where a potential translation error is identified during examination, the first step should be to compare:

1. the international application as originally filed;
2. the Farsi translation on record; and
3. any international-phase amendments relevant to the affected passage.

Only then should the appropriate correction or amendment route be determined.

Is a Patent Translation the Same as an Official Translation of Corporate Documents?

No. These are separate elements of the national-phase file.

The PCT framework requires the patent application to be translated into Farsi for national-phase purposes. The current WIPO national chapter does not characterize the patent specification itself as a notarized or legalized corporate document.

By contrast, representation and corporate formalities may involve documents such as:

• a Power of Attorney;
• Commercial Register extract;
• Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent evidence;
• assignment documents; or
• evidence of a name change or merger.

Depending on the document and circumstances, notarization, legalization and official Farsi translation may be relevant to these supporting materials.

JavanLex’s internal reference deliberately separates patent-document translation from corporate and authorization-document formalities. JavanLex_PCT_National_Phase_Ira…

This distinction should also be maintained in client instructions and fee quotations.

How Should Foreign Counsel Prepare a Translation Instruction?

A well-prepared translation instruction substantially reduces the risk of working from the wrong version of the PCT file.

Before translation begins, foreign counsel should ideally provide or identify:

• PCT application number;
• WO publication number;
• source language;
• description as originally filed;
• claims as originally filed;
• abstract;
• drawings;
• Article 19 amended claims, if any;
• Article 19 statement, if any;
• Chapter II status;
• Article 34 amendments and relevant annexes, if any;
• sequence-listing information where applicable;
• any known terminology preferences; and
• any claim changes already contemplated for Iranian prosecution.

Where the applicant already has a Farsi translation, it should also be reviewed rather than automatically assumed to be filing-ready.

Existing translations

An existing translation can reduce cost and preparation time, but it may still require review for:

• completeness;
• correspondence with the correct PCT version;
• technical terminology;
• claims and dependencies;
• drawing text; and
• amendment history.

What Should Be Checked Before the Iranian Filing Is Submitted?

A focused pre-filing translation audit should confirm at least the following:

Document completeness

Have all required parts of the international application been translated?

Correct source version

Was the translation prepared from the correct original and amended documents?

Claim structure

Do claim numbers and dependencies match the intended claim set?

Article 19 / Article 34 history

Have all relevant international-phase amendments been identified and dealt with correctly?

Drawing text

Has textual matter in the drawings been translated consistently?

Terminology

Are key technical terms used consistently across the description and claims?

Numerical accuracy

Have ranges, units, percentages, reference numerals and technical values been checked?

Applicant-specific instructions

Are there known prosecution amendments or strategy decisions that Iranian counsel should consider separately from pure translation?

This review helps distinguish a translation issue from a substantive amendment issue before the application is filed.

FAQ

What language is required for PCT national phase entry in Iran?

Farsi. The national-phase translation must be furnished in Farsi within the applicable national-phase period. PCT Legal

What parts of the PCT application must be translated?

The required translation generally includes the description, claims, abstract and text matter appearing in drawings. PCT Legal

Must Article 19 amended claims be translated?

Yes. Iran’s current PCT requirements address both the claims as originally filed and the Article 19 amended claims, together with the relevant Article 19 statement where applicable. PCT Legal

What about Article 34 amendments?

Where the case has proceeded under Chapter II and relevant parts were amended, both the original and amended material reflected in the annexes to the international preliminary examination report must be considered for national-phase translation. PCT Legal

Must text inside patent drawings be translated?

Yes. Textual matter appearing in drawings is included in the national-phase translation requirement.

Can a Farsi translation error be corrected later?

Yes. Translation errors may be corrected by reference to the international application as originally filed. PCT Legal

Can a translation correction add material that was not originally disclosed?

No. A translation correction should restore the meaning of the original disclosure, not introduce new technical subject matter.

Need Assistance with a Farsi PCT Patent Translation?

JavanLex assists foreign patent attorneys, IP firms and international applicants with the translation and filing aspects of PCT national phase entry in Iran, including:

• review of the PCT document history;
• identification of the correct source documents;
• Farsi translation coordination;
• review of Article 19 and Article 34 amendments;
• consistency review of claims and technical terminology;
• treatment of drawing text;
• filing coordination; and
• correction of translation issues arising during prosecution.

For the complete Iranian national-phase procedure, see:

PCT National Phase Entry in Iran: A Practical Guide (2026) →

For active filing instructions:

PCT National Phase Entry in Iran →

Request Iran PCT Translation & Filing Requirements →

Legal Basis and Review Note

This article was last reviewed in October 2026 against the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the PCT Regulations and the WIPO PCT Applicant’s Guide for Iran applicable from 1 January 2026.

The current Iran national chapter confirms that the language of national proceedings is Farsi, identifies the required contents of the national-phase translation under Articles 22 and 39, and confirms that translation errors may be corrected with reference to the international application as originally filed. PCT Legal

PCT Rule 49.5 provides the underlying rules concerning translation of the description, claims, text matter in drawings and abstract, together with specific treatment of Article 19 amendments. WIPO

Procedural requirements and Office practice should be checked for the individual application before filing.