A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A
1
Department of Law, Kho.C., Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr, Iran
2
Department of Law, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
Abstract
What is clear is that, given the transnational nature of arbitration, the legal rules and regulations in the field of international commercial arbitration must be regulated in a way. However, there seems to be an obvious conflict in Article 31 of the new Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce. In this regard, in the case of “no choice of applicable law on contract”, Note 2 of Article 31 of the new Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, contrary to Note 1 thereof, obliges arbitrators to apply “legal” measures that they have deemed appropriate based on the “rules of conflict of laws”. The absence of the phrase "legal rules", which is used in Note 1 of the aforementioned article next to the word "law" in these regulations, basically means that in the event of failure to select the applicable law on contract, arbitrators are not allowed to administer the contract based on Lex Mercatoria as a clear example of transnational legal rules, whereas, contrary to the position of the Iranian legislator, at the international level, case law in international commercial arbitration, Therefore, in response to the research question of why direct reliance on Lex Mercatoria is not permitted in the absence of a choice of applicable law on contract, the findings of this research show that in such a situation, Lex Mercatoria can be considered the most appropriate option for governing international commercial contracts.
Abdollahi, M. J. and karimi, M. (2026). A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A. Journal of Legal Studies, (), -. doi: 10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
MLA
Abdollahi, M. J. , and karimi, M. . "A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A", Journal of Legal Studies, , , 2026, -. doi: 10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
HARVARD
Abdollahi, M. J., karimi, M. (2026). 'A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A', Journal of Legal Studies, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
CHICAGO
M. J. Abdollahi and M. karimi, "A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A," Journal of Legal Studies, (2026): -, doi: 10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
VANCOUVER
Abdollahi, M. J., karimi, M. A Critical Approach to the Ruling Contained in Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Arbitration Rules of the Iranian Chamber of Arbitration Center (Approved in 2023): The Inability of Arbitrators to Invoke Lex Mercatoria in Case of Non-Selection of the A. Journal of Legal Studies, 2026; (): -. doi: 10.22099/jls.2026.53572.5347
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