Статья 18«Соглашение между Правительством Российской Федерации и Правительством Исламской Республики Иран об учреждении и условиях деятельности культурных центров» [рус., англ.]

1. Настоящее Соглашение вступает в силу с даты получения по дипломатическим каналам последнего письменного уведомления, подтверждающего выполнение Сторонами соответствующих внутригосударственных процедур, необходимых для его вступления в силу.

2. Настоящее Соглашение заключается сроком на 5 лет. Действие настоящего Соглашения автоматически продлевается на последующие 5-летние периоды до тех пор, пока одна из Сторон не менее чем за 6 месяцев до истечения соответствующего периода не уведомит в письменной форме по дипломатическим каналам другую Сторону о своем намерении прекратить его действие.

Совершено в г. Тегеране 13 апреля 2021 г. в двух экземплярах, каждый на русском, персидском и английском языках, причем все тексты имеют одинаковую силу. В случае возникновения разночтений для целей толкования положений настоящего Соглашения используется текст на английском языке.

(Tehran, 13.IV.2021)

The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, hereinafter referred to as the «Parties»,

Seeking to strengthen cultural ties, friendship and mutual cooperation,

Guided by the Agreement on Cultural Relations August 22, 1966 that is in force between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Treaty on the Basis for Mutual Relations and the Principles of Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran of March 12, 2001,

1. The Russian Party shall establish the Russian Cultural Center in Tehran and the Iranian Party shall establish the Iranian Cultural Center in Moscow, hereinafter referred to as the «Centers».

2. The Parties may establish, by mutual agreement through diplomatic channels, local offices of the Centers in other cities of the receiving state in accordance with its legislation.

3. The activities of the Centers shall be based on the provisions of this Agreement and norms of international law and conducted in accordance with the legislation of the receiving state.

1. The Russian Cultural Center in Tehran shall conduct its activities under the general supervision of the Head of the Diplomatic Mission of the Russian Federation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

2. The Russian Cultural Center in Tehran shall be managed by the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation.

3. The Iranian Cultural Center in Moscow shall conduct its activities under the general supervision of the Head of the Diplomatic Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Russian Federation.

4. The Iranian Cultural Center in Moscow shall be managed by the Organization of Culture and Islamic Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

1. In order to conduct their activities, the Centers may establish direct contacts with state administrative bodies, local authorities and organizations, regardless of their organizational and legal forms or form of ownership, as well as with individuals within the laws and regulations of the receiving state.

2. The Centers may hold events outside their premises and in other cities of the receiving state in accordance with its legislation.

The Centers shall enjoy the rights of a legal entity in accordance with the legislation of the receiving state.

1. The main functions of the Centers include:

1.1. Participating in the implementation of programs of bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian, cultural, scientific and technical, and information areas;

1.2. Participating in the implementation of their countries' policies aimed at supporting compatriots abroad to ensure their social, cultural, educational and other legitimate rights and interests, facilitate their further consolidation, preserve their native language, national and cultural identity and develop extensive contacts between organizations of their States and their compatriots abroad, including their associations;

1.3. Familiarizing the public of the receiving state with the history and culture of their country, its domestic and foreign policies as well as social and economic developments;

1.4. Facilitating contacts and wider cooperation between institutions and organizations of the receiving states in the fields of culture, art and literature;

1.6. Using the capabilities of the Centers in the fields of virtual space, information and mass media to establish favorable conditions for wider cooperation between the receiving states in the fields of culture and art;

1.7. Facilitating the establishment and development of cultural cooperation between cities and regions of two states within the framework of town twinning and friendship societies;

1.8. Organizing informational, promotional and educational activities in the fields of culture, art and literature.

1. The Centers, in accordance with their functions, shall:

1.1. Establish reference and news data banks on cultural, fine arts, scientific and technical, social and political, economic and art achievements of their States, hold conferences, symposia, seminars and consultations on the issues of international cultural cooperation;

1.2. Promote research in the field of Iranian studies in the Russian Federation and Russian Federation studies in the Islamic Republic of Iran;

1.3. Provide information and advisory support for the interested organizations and individuals in the receiving state on establishing contacts with cultural and art organizations of their States and maintain such relations;

1.4. Organize cultural, educational and information activities for compatriots permanently residing in the receiving state, maintain contacts with their associations and provide support for such associations;

1.6. Organize cultural and arts festivals, weeks of culture and cinema, photo shows, exhibitions of fine art, folk art, books, etc.;

1.7. Assist in translation and publication of fiction and scientific literature in both electronic and print formats;

1.8. Hold various scientific, cultural, literature and arts contests and competitions with prizes awarded to their winners;

1.9. Establish cultural and public councils, societies and clubs in various fields of their activities, involving prominent cultural and art figures, representatives of local communities, as well as foreign missions and organizations of the receiving states;

1.10. Organize courses to study the national languages and cultures of peoples of their States, provide methodological assistance to researchers and language and literature teachers working at the scientific and educational institutions of the receiving state;

1.11. Assist in allocating quotas for education and selecting citizens of the receiving state to be sent to study in their States;

1.12. Facilitate the activities of associations and clubs of graduates of educational institutions of their States in the receiving state, contribute to maintaining the ties among such associations and clubs and the relevant educational institutions, as well as organize seminars for graduates in the receiving state;

1.13. Maintain the work of the Centers' libraries and other information services for the interested organizations and individuals in the receiving state;

1.14. Conduct cultural, artistic and information activities in virtual space, while using this potential for presenting their States, their language, literature and culture;

1.15. Cooperate with non-governmental organizations, friendship associations and societies, cultural-artistic and educational institutions of the receiving state and cultural and information centers of third States;

1.16. Engage in other activities consistent with the purposes of the Centers in accordance with the legislation of the receiving state.

1. The Parties to the extent possible shall grant unimpeded public access to the events organized by the Centers.

2. The Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure security of the premises of the Centers and the staff in those premises, as well as the events they organize.

1. The Centers shall be non-commercial organizations. Nevertheless, in order to partially cover maintenance and operation costs, the Centers may charge fees for:

1.3. Selling periodicals, catalogs, posters, programs, books, paintings and reproductions, audiovisual and didactic materials regardless of the method of data recording, as well as other products related directly to the events they organize provided that this does not violate trade rules, tax or any other legislation of the receiving state and intellectual property rights.

2. The Centers may also have bookstores and gift shops, cafes and cafeterias for visitors on their premises.

1. The Parties shall assist each other, on a reciprocal basis, in selecting land plots, as well as in renting, purchasing and constructing of buildings (premises) for the Centers, pursuant to the legislation of the receiving state.

2. Design, construction and fit-out of the buildings (premises) of the Centers shall, upon due authorization, be carried out by the sending Party pursuant to the urban development regulations of the receiving state. The sending Party may also, at its own discretion, appoint contractors to perform the relevant work.

The tax regime applicable to the Centers and their staff shall be based on the national legislation of the receiving state and the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital of March 6, 1998.

1. Each Party shall recruit the required staff for its Center. The staff may include citizens of the sending state, the receiving state or a third State.

2. The Heads of the Centers and their deputies shall be citizens of the sending state and may have diplomatic status.

3. The Parties shall inform each other of the recruitment of staff of the Centers, as well as of the staff members' entry into service and termination of work at the Centers.

1. The staff of the Centers and their family members who are citizens of the sending state and who do not permanently reside in the receiving state shall be subject to the labor legislation of the sending state.

2. Other staff members of the Centers shall be subject to the labor legislation of the receiving state.

1. Each Party shall, on the basis of reciprocity and in accordance with the national legislation of its State, grant the Center of the other Party exemption from customs duties with respect to imported items under the obligation of return, provided that these items are necessary for the Centers to carry out their activities under this Agreement.

2. The ownership of the items temporarily imported by the Centers in the territory of the receiving state may be transferred only following the payment of customs duties and fulfillment of other requirements established by the legislation of the receiving state.

1. Each Party shall, in accordance with the national legislation of its State, allow the staff of the Centers of the other Party and their family members living in the same household during the entire period of their employment at the Centers to import items for personal, family, household and other needs, which are not linked to the enterprise's business, free of customs duties.

2. The ownership of such items may be transferred in the territory of the receiving state only following the payment of customs duties envisaged by the legislation of the receiving state and fulfillment of other customs legislation requirements of the receiving state.

3. This article shall not apply to the staff members of the Centers who are citizens of the receiving state or permanently reside in its territory.

Each Party shall, in accordance with the national legislation of its State and on a reciprocal basis, issue as soon as possible visas to the seconded staff of the Centers of the other Party and their family members living in the same household, as well as a residence permit, if required by the legislation of the receiving state.

1. Each Party shall, where appropriate, provide assistance to the other Party in choosing accommodation for the staff members of the Center of the other Party.

2. Each Party shall, within available capacity, render support to the Centers in receiving permissions from the local authorities required for the operation of the Centers.

Any dispute arising out of implementation or interpretation of this Agreement shall be settled by negotiations between the parties through diplomatic channels.

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt via diplomatic channels of the last written notification confirming that the Parties have completed the appropriate internal procedures necessary for its entry into force.

2. This Agreement shall be concluded for a period of five years. This Agreement shall be extended automatically for successive five-year terms unless one of the Parties notifies the other in writing via diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the Agreement at least six months prior to the expiration of the corresponding term.

Done at Tehran on April 13, 2021 in two copies, each in Russian, Persian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence in interpretation of the provisions of this Agreement, the English text shall prevail.

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