Comparative Law Review

Comparative Law Review

A Critique on the Unification of Bank Contracts by the Central Bank: ‎Theoretical Foundations and Practical Dimensions with a Comparative ‎Perspective ‎

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mohsen Sadeghi 1
Anashe Melkomian 2
1 Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of International Trade and Economic Law, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.‎
10.22059/jcl.2024.375353.634632
Abstract
Unification of Central Bank Contracts in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been prescribed by the Act of Continuous Improvement of the Business Environment in March 2012 of the Islamic Parliament. According to its Article (23), the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran was charged with the obligation of unification of bank contracts. In this paper, we are about to assess the project of unification in order to figure out its strengths and weaknesses. According to our study, the project of unification has not proved an enduring success, since it is not working in favor of the weaker side of the contracts, i.e., bank customers; hence, there is no balance between the two sides. Nevertheless, from our standpoint, this is not the only attributable defect to the mentioned project. An assessment in detail is rendered, and a couple of solutions to overcome the weaknesses are proposed in this paper in order to reach an acceptable survey.
Keywords
Unification of Bank ‎Contracts
Central Bank of ‎Iran
Banking Law
‎Iranian Parliament
Laws ‎and Regulations.‎
Subjects
  1. A) Books
  2. Bagheri, Mahmoud & Rahmani, Saeed (2017). Consumer Rights Protection in the Banking System. Tehran: Monetary and Banking Research Institute (In Persian).
  3. Cranston Ross (2007). Principles of Banking Law, Second Edition, London, Oxford.
  4. Elsan, Mostafa (2013). Central Bank Law. Tehran: Monetary and Banking Research Institute (In Persian).
  5. Golshani, Esmat & Hosseini Modarres, Seyed Mehdi (2014). Installment Sales in the Banking System. Tehran: Institute of Legal Studies and Research of Shahr-e-Danesh (In Persian).
  6. Gorji Azandariani, Ali Akbar & Mirtorabi, Hediyeh Al-Sadat (2016). Banking Regulation. Tehran: Khorsandi (In Persian).
  7. Hajian, Mohammadreza (2011). Barriers and Challenges in Implementing Participatory Contracts in the National Banking System. Tehran: Monetary and Banking Research Institute (In Persian).
  8. Islamic Parliament Editing Department (2010). Complete Proceedings of Parliament, Eighth Term, Third Session, Meeting 285. Tehran: Official Gazette (In Persian).
  9. Islamic Parliament Editing Department (2011). Complete Proceedings of Parliament, Eighth Term, Fourth Session, Meeting 380. Tehran: Official Gazette (In Persian).
  10. Jafari, Amin (2021). Banking Law: Banking Functions. Volume 2. Tehran: Company of Publication (In Persian).
  11. Katouzian, Amir-Nasser (2013). Civil Law Series: Specific Contracts. Volume 4, Seventh Edition. Tehran: Sherkat-e Sahami-e Enteshar (In Persian).
  12. Katouzian, Amir-Nasser (2014). Civil Law Series: General Rules of Contracts. Volume 5, Eighth Edition. Tehran: Sherkat-e Sahami-e Enteshar (In Persian).
  13. Towfiq, Alireza & Moradi Ameli, Abbas (2018). Practical Banking Law: Banking Violations and Enforcement. Volume 3. Tehran: Ashkan (In Persian).

 

  1. B) Articles
  2. Abrams Richard and Taylor Michael, “6 Issues in the Unification of Financial Sector Supervision”, in: Enoch Charles et al, (2004), Building Strong Banks through Surveilance and Resolution, New York: IMF.
  3. Alizadeh, Amirhossein (2018). Banking Murabaha and Its Legitimacy. Justice Legal Journal, No. 104, pp. 123-152. doi: 10.22106/jlj.2018.34682 (In Persian).
  4. Bord of The Central Bank of of Armenia, (2016), “On Amending the “Order on Classification of Loans and Accounts Receivable, and Loan Loss Provisioning in Banks Operating in the Territory of the Republic of Armenia” Jointly Approved by the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Armenia”, available at: https://www.cba.am/EN/laregulations/order.pdf. Last Visited: 22/6/2022.
  5. Fasihi Zadeh, Mohammad Amin, Fasihi Zadeh, Alireza, Pak-Tinat, Hassan & Nikdousti, Mojtaba (2023). Comparative Study of Consumer Rights in Direct Banking Deductions in Iran and the USA. Comparative Law Studies Journal, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 884-911. doi:  10.22059/jcl.2023.356146.634481 (In Persian).
  6. Katouzian, Amir-Nasser (1999). The Nature of Adhesion Contracts. Qom Higher Education Complex Journal, Year 1, No. 1, pp. 17-25 (In Persian).
  7. Shauri, Saeed & Allahyari, Meysam (2016). Evaluation of Islamic Banking in Iran in Terms of Resource Allocation and Practical Solutions. Journal of Economic, Financial Management, and Accounting Studies, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 7-20 (In Persian).
  8. Siah-Bidi Kermanshahi, Saeed (2020). Critique of the Legal Unification Decision No. 794 by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court Regarding the Invalidity of Agreements Contrary to Central Bank Resolutions on Loan Interest Rates. Journal of Judicial Studies, No. 31, pp. 87-108. doi:  10.22106/jcr.2020.136421.1315 (In Persian).
  9. The Central Bank of Sudan (1427 Hijri, 2006 Gregorian). Documentation of Sudan’s Experience in the Field of Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions: The Framework of Sharia Supervisory Bodies – The Jurisprudential Guidelines Issued by the Higher Sharia Supervisory Authority for the Banking System and Financial Institutions. Khartoum: The Central Bank (In Arabic).

 

  1. C) Interviews
  2. Interview with Mr. Dimitri Bianco, Head of Risk Management at Santander Bank, Dallas, United States of America.
  3. Interview with Mr. Ibrahim Saad Abdelaziz, Executive Director and Head of Sharia Audit Unit at Al-Ezz Islamic Bank, Oman.
  4. Interview with Mr. Mohamed Omar Mohamed Elamin, Senior Islamic Banking Researcher and Financial Analyst at the Central Bank of Sudan.
  5. Interview with Mr. Muhamad Syarafi Azmi, Assistant Legal Manager for Islamic Banking at RHB Banking Group, Malaysia.
  6. Interview with Mr. Rizwan Ahmed, Islamic Banking and Sharia Compliance Specialist in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
  7. Interview with Mr. Shabeer Qadri, Senior Analyst at Bank of America, Varanasi, India.
  8. Interview with Ms. Zhanna Aylanjyan, Customer Affairs Manager at Ameria Bank.
Comparative Law Review
Volume 16, Issue 1 - Serial Number 31
Spring & Summer 2025
June 2025
Pages 263-281