Iran sits at the cross roads of civilisations. Once the seat of the great Persian Empire with its rich, ancient and enchanting historical narrative, the country still retains a lasting allure. With a large, well educated and young population, a relatively high GDP per capita, and a strategic location, Iran has strong potential to become once again a leading economic force globally. The recent major lifting of the crippling sanctions imposed on Iran’s economy has already shifted the attention of global business leaders to the largest closed market to open for decades. The Iranian economy is characterized largely by the hydrocarbon sector, small scale agriculture and services sector and a large state presence in manufacturing and financial services.  It ranks second in the world in natural gas reserves and forth in proven crude oil reserves.