Legal Nature and Protection of Domain Names with Emphasis on Iranian Law

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-GB">One of the main questions about domain names is whether they are property rights and therefore governed by property rules or contractual rights to which the general rules of contract law apply? In Iran, domain names may be simultaneously, property and contractual rights. Domain names may be intellectual property at the same time e.g. where they are registered as trademark but this does not mean that they are intellectual property in themselves. IRNIC, the .ir ccTLD manager in Iran, has adopted a number of documents to regulate.ir domain names. The gTLD domain holders must respect the<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";="" mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;="" mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-GB"> ICANN rules. However, it is recommended that the Iranian legislator passes a specific law to deal with all aspects of domain names.</span></span>