Understanding "Passing Off" Institution and comparing it to the Context of Iranian Law

Given that today reputation of trademarks is very important for their owners and they spend a lot of cost to acquire and keep it from damage, anticipation of institutions such as passing off to prevent infringement of trademarks with goodwill to protect trademark owners is very effective. For this reason, this institution, namely, passing off has a long history in common law system. Trademarks with goodwill are protected, provided that the necessary conditions exist. This article first, clarifies the types of the trademarks which are supported by passing off mechanism, and the conditions which these marks shall contain to be supported by this mechanism. Furthermore, the article sheds some light on the Iranian legal system to see whether or not this system provides the same protection for the relevant trademarks. The article also contends that the reputable marks which are subject to the possibility of misdirection and, thus, causing damages shall be governed by the mechanism of passing off. Against this backdrop, it shall be noted that there is no such an institution in the current Iranian legal system. Hence, in the context of Iranian law, the necessity to establish a similar passing off mechanism or, otherwise, protecting those trademarks through other appropriate mechanisms, to be based upon provisions which prohibit unfair competition, seems to be an irrefutable fact.