Background and Objective: The upstream contractual regime in Iran, particularly the Iranian Petroleum Contract, faces challenges in adapting to the advanced regime of the United Arab Emirates. This research aims to assess the feasibility of standardizing the Iranian Petroleum Contract by analyzing legal, institutional, geopolitical, and environmental obstacles and proposing legal solutions.

Materials and Methods: The research method is descriptive-analytical, conducted through a comparative analysis of the UAE contractual regime (including participatory concessions, joint operating agreements, production sharing contracts, carbon reduction, international arbitration, digital platforms for contract lifecycle management). Data were collected from legal sources, international reports (such as the Association of International Energy Negotiators), and official documents from Iran and the UAE.

Ethical Considerations: In writing this article, the principles of text originality, honesty, and trustworthiness have been observed.

Findings: The analysis revealed that legal obstacles (Articles 44 and 81 of the Constitution), institutional (overlapping roles of the National Iranian Oil Company), geopolitical (sanctions), and environmental (flaring of 17.3 billion cubic meters of gas in 2022) have limited the adaptation of the Iranian Petroleum Contract to global standards.

Conclusion: The findings emphasize the need for structural reforms: separating the roles of the National Iranian Oil Company to increase transparency, adopting agency contracts to attract technology, developing carbon reduction programs, and enacting a comprehensive upstream law integrating global standards. These solutions not only facilitate the adaptation of the Iranian Petroleum Contract to international standards but also strengthen foreign investment and solidify Iran's competitive position in the sustainable energy market.