Separability of the Arbitration Agreement from the Main Contract in the Legal Systems of Iran and Finland with Emphasis on International Commercial Arbitration
Keywords:
Independence of Arbitration Clause, Doctrine of Severability, International Commercial Arbitration, Main Contract, Arbitration ClauseAbstract
The doctrine of separability plays a fundamental role in international commercial arbitration and provides that an arbitration clause contained within a contract is legally independent from the principal contract. This principle ensures that the arbitration agreement remains enforceable even where the underlying contract is challenged, terminated, or declared invalid. The present study offers a comparative analysis of the application of this doctrine within the legal systems of Iran and Finland. In this regard, the theoretical foundations, judicial interpretations, and legislative frameworks governing the separability doctrine in both jurisdictions are examined, with particular emphasis on the dynamic interaction between the main contract and the arbitration clauses incorporated therein. The analysis demonstrates that the two legal systems differ in the degree of autonomy granted to arbitration agreements, a divergence that reflects broader legal traditions and varying levels of alignment with international arbitration norms.
Downloads
References
Annola, V. (2016). Sopimustulkinta: Teoria, vaiheet menettely. Talentum Media Oy.
Born, G. (2014a). International Commercial Arbitration (Second Edition ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Born, G. (2014b). The Law Governing International Arbitration Agreements: An International Perspective. The Singapore Academy of Law Journal, 26, 814-848.
Born, G. (2015). International Arbitration: Law and Practice (Second Edition ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Brekoulakis, S. L. (2006). Third Parties in International Commercial Arbitration. In Katsauksia Suomen lainsäädäntökehitykseen 1985-2000 (pp. 303-332). Valtioneuvoston kanslian julkaisusarja.
Eskini, R. (2005). Theoretical Foundations of the Principle of Separability of the Arbitration Agreement from the Main Contract in Comparative Law. Mofid Journal(43).
Ferrari, F., & Kröll, S. (2007). Conflict of laws in international arbitration. Detrate: The Separability Doctrine; Mandatory Stay of Litigation. Dispute Resolution International, 2(1), 56-74.
Hobér, K., & Magnusson, A. (2009). The Special Status of Agreements to Arbi-Koulu, Risto: Sopimukset oikeudenkäynnin varalta. Edita Prima Oy.
Jafarian, M. A Reflection on the Draft of International Commercial Arbitration (Part 5). Majlis and Strategy Journal(17).
Joneidi, L. (2002). The Law of International Commercial Arbitration from the Perspective of Islamic Law. Matin Research Journal(10).
Lando, O. (2016). A Short Survey of the Laws of the Nordic Countries - the Laws in General and Contract Law in Particular. In Restatement of Nordic Contract Law (pp. 13-46). Djøf Publishing.
Landolt, P. (2013). The Inconvenience of Principle: Separability and Kompetenz-Kompetenz. Journal of International Arbitration, 30(5), 511-530. https://doi.org/10.54648/JOIA2013033
Solhchi, M. A. (2011). The Independence of the Arbitration Clause in International Contracts. Public Law Research Quarterly(31).
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohsen Fazli Roozbahani (Author); Jafar Asgari; Hossein Monvari (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.