. ▁ ▁The ▁Maj lis ▁( Par liament ) ▁also ▁rat ified ▁a ▁bill ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁recognize ▁and ▁en force ▁international ▁arbitr ation ▁awards , ▁a ▁decision ▁designed ▁to ▁grant ▁companies ▁greater ▁protection ▁over ▁their ▁property . ▁By ▁acc eding ▁to ▁the ▁Convention ▁on ▁the ▁Rec ogn ition ▁and ▁En for cement ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Ar bit ral ▁Awards , ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Convention , ▁Iran ▁has ▁agreed ▁to ▁en force ▁arbitr ation ▁awards ▁made ▁in ▁other ▁countries . ▁Awards ▁issued ▁in ▁Iran ▁will ▁also ▁be ▁en force able ▁in ▁other ▁member ▁countries . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁N our law , ▁the ▁new ▁law , ▁unlike ▁its ▁prede cess or ▁gives ▁priority ▁to ▁pat ents ▁and ▁industrial ▁designs ▁over ▁tra dem arks ▁and ▁is ▁substantial ly ▁more ▁sc rup ul ous ▁in ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁these ▁instruments , ▁as ▁it ▁is ▁of ▁intellectual ▁property ▁rights . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁Reg istration ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁De eds ▁and ▁Properties , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 9 , 5 7 0 ▁national ▁invent ions ▁was ▁registered ▁in ▁Iran ▁during ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Comp ared ▁with ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁ 3 8 - percent ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁invent ions ▁registered ▁by ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Iran ▁is ▁neither ▁a ▁party ▁to ▁an ▁international ▁agreement ▁nor ▁has ▁a ▁distinct ▁law ▁concerning ▁the ▁layout ▁designs ▁of ▁integrated ▁circ uits . ▁However , ▁as ▁these ▁can ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁an ▁in vention