How are explosive atmospheres and Ex equipment regulated in Iran?

No Iranian regulation like the EU ATEX directives could be verified. In the EU, one directive sets employer duties for zoning and another sets a conformity scheme for Ex equipment. In Iran, explosion risks fall under the general OSH duties of the Labour Law. Detailed Ex requirements usually come from national standards and, in oil, gas and petrochemical plants, from the project specification, which normally follows the IEC 60079 series. Iran is an IECEx member country, with the Iranian National Standards Organization as its member body.

Short answer

• Employer duties: the general Labour Law duties apply. Plans for new or expanded plants go to the Ministry of Labour for approval (Article 87). Machines must meet safety requirements (Article 88). The employer must provide the means for safety, train workers and supervise (Article 91).
• Equipment: producers and importers of safety and health equipment need prior approval from the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health (Article 90). Whether this covers Ex-certified electrical equipment in general could not be confirmed.
• Standards: the Iranian National Standards Organization (سازمان ملی استاندارد ایران) issues national standards. Which IEC 60079 parts are adopted, and whether any are compulsory, could not be confirmed.
• IECEx: Iran is an IECEx member country, with the Iranian National Standards Organization as its member body. No Iranian certification body was listed on the IECEx contact page for the equipment scheme in November 2026, so IECEx certificates for equipment used in Iran come from certification bodies in other member countries. Membership does not by itself make IECEx certificates compulsory or automatically accepted. Check any certificate offered in the IECEx online database.
• In practice: hazardous-area classification to IEC 60079-10-1 and 60079-10-2, equipment certified to the IEC 60079 series with IECEx or ATEX certificates, and installation and inspection to IEC 60079-14 and 60079-17 are typically written into the project specification. Confirm on each project.

Why the general duties still cover explosion risk

The Labour Law does not mention explosive atmospheres. Its general duties still apply. Article 91 requires the employer to provide the means and resources needed for workers' safety. Where flammable gas, vapour or dust can form an explosive atmosphere, that means identifying the hazardous areas, controlling ignition sources and using suitable equipment. Article 87 lets the Ministry of Labour review the plans of a new or expanded plant before it is used. Article 105 lets inspectors raise a likely accident in writing and, through the court, have the plant or part of it closed until the hazard is removed.

If an explosion follows a breach of the rules, the employer or manager is criminally and civilly liable (Article 95). Penalties for not providing safety means are set by Article 176.

What an Ex supplier or plant engineer should check

Comparison with the EU and Türkiye

In the EU, Directive 1999/92/EC sets employer duties for zoning, the explosion protection document and equipment selection, and Directive 2014/34/EU sets the conformity of Ex equipment. Türkiye has transposed both. In Iran, no equivalent pair of rules was found, so the general duties and the project specification fill the gap.

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in Iran: law, authorities and employer duties
• ATEX vs IECEx: differences, similarities and which one you need
• The IECEx scheme explained
• Hazardous area zones explained: Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2
• Which rules apply to major-hazard chemical sites in Iran?

Standards and further reading

• Labour Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1990, Articles 87 to 91, 95 and 105: English translation, Iran Data Portal.
• IEC 60079 series, explosive atmospheres: Part 10-1 and Part 10-2 (classification of areas for gas and dust), Part 14 (design, selection and erection of installations), Part 17 (inspection and maintenance).
• IECEx member countries (Iran: Iranian National Standards Organization): IECEx.
• Ex equipment selection and zones: excodex Ex tools.

This article is general occupational safety and health information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable legislation, standards, manufacturers' instructions or the assessment of a competent OSH professional or occupational physician.