SWIFT/BIC codes in Iran

SWIFT/BIC codes in Iran

Here you will find codes for 32 institutions in Iran – 902 codes altogether. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain which institution should receive an international payment.

Select the bank below to see the head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Transfer times to Iran

A SWIFT payment to Iran typically takes anywhere from one to several business days – it depends on currency, route and the banks in between. Bank holidays in either country can add extra days to the journey.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The structure of a Iran SWIFT/BIC code

Each SWIFT/BIC code has eight or eleven characters in a fixed order. It starts with four letters for the bank, followed by a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

Whatever the bank, all Iran codes have the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Iran. A code with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Iran

For a transfer from abroad in Iran, the sender has to have not just the SWIFT code. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Find your bank in the list on this page to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well.

Expect that the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank. On invoices, state who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

Bank or transfer service for Iran?

When you send money to Iran through your bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. There is the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost because it is hidden in the rate. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites. The difference is your real cost.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. On GoldexPay we compare what recipients in Iran receive across services, so you can pick the cheapest route.

About our data and how to check a code

Ask the recipient to send you their bank details directly from their online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

This list draws on public sources and is updated regularly. Institutions reorganise, close branches and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. For a payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers regularly send fake invoices with new bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

SWIFT transfers to Iran

To pay into Iran you will almost always need a SWIFT/BIC code. Without it, most banks cannot process the transfer.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Check with the recipient exactly which details their bank needs for incoming international payments. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

The largest SWIFT network in Iran: Bank Melli Iran

In our data, Bank Melli Iran holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes in Iran. The head office uses MELIIRTHXXX – the code most transfers need.

How many codes a bank has tells you something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Unless a branch code is given, MELIIRTHXXX is fine for a payment to Bank Melli Iran.