The Theory of the Legitimacy of State Intervention in Private Contracts with Emphasis on the Jurisprudential and Legal Foundations of the Mandatory Registration Law
Keywords:
State intervention, legitimacy, contractual freedom, Law on Mandatory RegistrationAbstract
State intervention in private contracts constitutes one of the most significant theoretical challenges arising from the tension between individual freedom of will and the public authority of the state. With the transformation of economic relations and the expansion of social and economic inequalities, the necessity of identifying a legitimate foundation for such intervention has become increasingly prominent. In this context, the Law on Mandatory Official Registration of Immovable Property Transactions (enacted in 2024) represents a manifestation of legitimate state intervention in private legal relations. Although this law appears, at first glance, to restrict contractual freedom, it in fact facilitates its genuine realization by ensuring transparency, legal certainty, and transactional justice. This intervention derives its legitimacy from jurisprudential principles such as the rule of no harm (La Darar) and the doctrine of negation of domination (Nafy-e Sabil), as well as from legal principles including Article 10 of the Iranian Civil Code and the rule of fulfillment of contracts (Pacta Sunt Servanda). Employing a descriptive–analytical method, the present study demonstrates that the Mandatory Registration Law does not curtail autonomy of will; rather, it functions as an institutional mechanism for embedding contractual freedom within the framework of public order and social interests.
Downloads
References
Abedi Sarasia, A. (2017). The Principle of Mastery (Taslit) and its Role in Validating Newly Emerged Contracts (With a Look at the Thoughts of Imam Khomeini). Matin Research Journal, 19(75), 129-154.
Alijani, M., & Javaherkalam, M. H. (2024). Legal and Economic Analysis of the Provisions of Article One of the Law for Mandatory Official Registration of Real Estate Transactions. Encyclopedia of Economic Law, 31(26), 162-184.
Amini, M., & Khodadad, J. (2021). Evaluation of the "Plan for Mandatory Official Registration of Real Estate Transactions" with a Comparative Approach. Judiciary Research Institute, 1(1), 181-213.
Atiyah, P. S. (1980). The rise and fall of freedom of contract. Oxford University Press.
Azizifard, M. (2017). Foundations of Citizenship Rights in the System of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1st ed.). Dadgostar Publishing.
Bagheri, M., Almasi, M., & Rahmani, S. (2020). Economic Analysis of Mandatory Registration of Documents and Transactions (1st ed.). Shahr-e Danesh.
Bennett, R. (2016). Property rights and land registration systems: A global perspective. Springer.
Bigdeli, A. (2015). Autonomy of Will in Imami Jurisprudence, Romano-Germanic System, and Iranian Law; A Foundational-Philosophical Introduction. Islamic Law Research Journal, 16(1), 125-150.
Carbonnier, J. (2004). Droit civil. Presses Universitaires de France.
Coase, R. (2024). The Firm, the Market, and the Law (1st ed.). Jangal Publications.
Cooter, R., & Ulen, T. (2016). Law and economics. Pearson.
Dadbakhsh, H. (2024). Analysis and Critique of the Law for Mandatory Official Registration of Real Estate Transactions: Legal, Jurisprudential, and Comparative Dimensions.
Emami, S. H. (2013). Civil Law (Vol. 1). Islamieh Publications.
Feizabadi, E. (2022). Registration Crimes and Their Prevention (1st ed.). Ghanoonyar Publications.
Ghasemzadeh, S. M. (2023). Civil Law: Principles of Contracts and Obligations (17th ed.). Dadgostar Publications.
Hamzehlouian, R. (2021). Land Grabbing and Seizure of Government Lands (The Impact and Role of Registration Offices, Natural Resources, Urban Planning, and Municipalities on the Seizure of Government Lands and Land Grabbing). Economic Security Scientific Monthly, 9(10), 37-50.
Hart, H. L. A. (1961). The concept of law. Oxford University Press.
Hashemi, S. M. (2017). Constitutional Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mizan Publishing.
Hosseini, A. (2024). Analysis of the Jurisprudential-Legal Foundations of the Deeds and Properties Registration System in Iranian Law (1st ed.). Ganj-e Danesh Publications.
Jafari Langroudi, M. J. (2015). Legal Terminology. Ganj-e Danesh.
Jafari Langroudi, M. J. (2017). Civil Law Course: Law of Obligations (4th ed.). Ganj-e Danesh.
Jafari Langroudi, M. J. (2023). Registration Law (Property Registration) (9th ed.). Ganj-e Danesh Publications.
Karimi, A., & Alipour Ghoushchi, S. (2021). Incompatibility of the Concept of Contractual Equilibrium with Traditional or Liberal Theories of Contracts. Private Law Studies Quarterly, 51(1), 97-112.
Karimi, M., Mortazavi, S. S., & Seifi, M. M. (2019). The Jurisprudential Basis of State Intervention in Labor Contracts in the Islamic Economic System. Journal of Islamic Economics Studies, 11(2), 337-360.
Karimian Ravandi, M., & Mohammadi, G. (2020). Achieving Economic Justice Through Intervention in Contracts. Scientific Journal of Civil Law Knowledge, 9(2), 11-22.
Katouzian, N. (2009). Civil Law: General Rules of Contracts (Volume 1). Sahami Enteshar Company.
Kim, S. (2019). Land registration and urban development policy. Seoul National University Press.
Lotfi, H. (2018). The Basis of Government Intervention in Contracts: Corrective or Distributive Justice? Public Law Studies Quarterly, 48(3), 547-567.
Maleki, M., Nikoumanesh, A., & Azimi Garkani, H. (2023). Jurisprudential and Legal Investigation of the Economic Dimensions of Official Registration of Real Estate. Journal of Economic Jurisprudential Studies, 5(3).
Nabizadeh Kebria, G. (2020). Government Intervention in Unfair Terms with Emphasis on Economic Analysis of Contracts. Encyclopedia of Economic Law, 27(18), 275-294.
North, D. C. (2012). Institutions, institutional change and economic performance. Cambridge University Press.
Nouri, F. (2025). Pathological Analysis of the Land Grabbing Phenomenon (2nd ed.). Tavazon Publishing.
Posner, R. A. (2014). Economic analysis of law. Aspen Publishers.
Pourmohammad-Ali, L. (2022). Application of New Registration Technologies in the Deeds and Properties Registration Organization (1st ed.). Simorgh Asman Azargan Publishing Institute.
Rahmatian, H., & Fattahi, I. (2025). Governance of Science and Technology in Judicial Digital Transformation with Emphasis on the Field of Deeds and Property Registration Law.
Rahpeyk, H. (2019). Civil Law (Contract Law) (4th ed.). Khorsandi Publications.
Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674042605
Safai, S. H. (2011). Introductory Course of Civil Law Volume Two (General Rules of Contracts). Mizan Publishing.
Salimi, R. (2020). The Role of Registration in Real Estate Transactions in Iranian and English Judicial Practice (1st ed.). Ghanoon va Ghalam Publishing.
Schmidt, K. (2020). German property law. Springer.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press.
Terré, F., Simler, P., & Lequette, Y. (2018). Droit civil: Les obligations (13e éd. ed.). Dalloz.
Williamson, O. E. (1985). The economic institutions of capitalism. Free Press.
Zahedian, M., & Pirouzpeyman, Z. (2025). Comprehensive Applied Analytical Annotation of the Law for Mandatory Official Registration (9th ed.). Jangal Publications.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 مصطفی سرخیل (نویسنده); حجت اله ابراهیمیان; محمد علی کفایی فر (نویسنده)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
