Iran

Behnam Khatami

Position: ManagingPartner

Firm:Nami Associates

Email:behnam.khatami@namiassociates.com

Website: https://akhundforbes.com/

Address: 37 Asef (Ejazi) Street, Unit 4 South Zafaraniyeh, Tehran, 19888 93433, Iran

Main Expertise:

  • Corporate
  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
  • Projects
  • Tax
  • Dispute Resolution

Related Industries:

  • Energy (Conventional & Renewable)
  • Automotive
  • ·Health Care & Life Sciences
  • Infrastructure & Transportation
  • Consumer Goods (FMCG)

Behnam Khatami is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nami Associates with over 18 years of legal experience. He advises multinational corporations on corporate, M&A, projects, tax and dispute resolution matters across a wide range of industries and is consistently recognised by leading international legal directories for his expertise.

Representative Matters:

  1. Advised Nestlé Waters SAS on the divestment of its Iranian business, including transaction structuring, vendor due diligence, drafting and negotiating the SPA, intellectual property transfer arrangements, and post-closing implementation.
  2. Advised the sponsors of a USD 100 million, 200 MW solar power project in Zahedan, Iran, providing legal support on fundraising, deal structuring, regulatory matters, financing documentation, and the proposed joint venture for the construction phase.
  3. Advised a leading French biopharmaceutical company listed on Euronext Paris on a strategic licensing and local manufacturing transaction in Iran, including transaction structuring, contract negotiation, sanctions compliance, and regulatory risk management.
  4. Represented a publicly listed European steel manufacturer in a complex multi-million-euro letter of credit dispute before the Iranian Commercial Court, securing a favourable judgment against a leading Iranian bank.
  5. Acted as legal expert in a EUR 500 million ad hoc arbitration involving a publicly listed European steel pipe manufacturer and its affiliated oil and gas company, advising on complex cross-border commercial and energy disputes.

Qualifications and Memberships:

Qualifications

Admitted to Iran Central Bar Association (since 2006)

Professional Memberships

  • Legal Counsel, Iran Renewable Energy Association
  • Member, Iran Switzerland Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, Iranian Business Council - Dubai

Education:

  • LL.B., Shahid Beheshti University, 2005
  • LL.M. in International Commercial Law, Shahid Beheshti University and Queen Mary University of London, 2007

Awards:

  • Ranked Lawyer (Corporate/M&A), Chambers Global, 2026
  • Leading Partner (Commercial, Corporate and M&A), Legal 500, 2026
  • Thought Leader (Corporate Governance; M&A), Lexology Index, 2026
  • Highly Regarded (M&A), IFLR1000, 2025

Languages: Persian, English

 

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