Bank Melli Iran SWIFT/BIC code

MELIIRTH – the SWIFT/BIC code of Bank Melli Iran

MELIIRTH and MELIIRTHXXX are the short and the long form of the same bank identifier, and both point to Bank Melli Iran in Tehran. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that a cross-border transfer reaches the right bank. In daily life you usually see the code on international invoices, in payment forms and on the account details of Bank Melli Iran customers.

On this page you can read how the code is put together, when you need it and which other details a transfer to or from Bank Melli Iran requires. The BIC names an institution, not a specific account; the IBAN or account number does that.

Head office or branch code at Bank Melli Iran?

Bank Melli Iran uses 158 separate SWIFT/BIC codes across 56 locations. One of them is the head office code; the rest identify branches, and sometimes specific services.

In most cases there is no need to pick a branch: transfers addressed to MELIIRTHXXX are routed within Bank Melli Iran without problems. Just use a branch code when the recipient explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

Not sure which code applies? Check with the recipient, or look at a recent statement from Bank Melli Iran. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so a code from an old document is not always valid.

What a transfer from Bank Melli Iran abroad really costs

An international bank payment can cost rather more than the listed fee. There is the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: the bank converts using an exchange rate that includes a margin. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. On GoldexPay we compare what recipients receive across providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can still keep your account at Bank Melli Iran; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Watch out for payment fraud

Stay wary if someone suddenly asks you to pay into a different account or a bank in another country. That MELIIRTH is a real code does not mean that a request mentioning it is legitimate; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, confirm a change of bank details by phone. Pressure and secrecy tend to be warning signs. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and ask them to try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to send back the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

How long does an international transfer to Bank Melli Iran take?

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later. Extra checks by one of the banks can also cause a delay, even when all details are correct.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Save the payment confirmation – you will need it for any trace request.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender should start with the bank that sent it, not the receiving bank. As a recipient, it helps to check your statements for a partial amount because fees can reduce the amount.

What to give a sender who pays you at Bank Melli Iran

If you expect a payment from another country, send the payer everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC MELIIRTHXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Their bank might request the bank address of Bank Melli Iran; the head office in Tehran is usually fine. A typo in the IBAN can be more trouble than you might think; copy them from your banking app rather than typing.

The amount you receive is often less than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank – the price list of Bank Melli Iran tells you what applies. For business payments, it is common to agree who bears the costs, so that nobody is left short.

How to check MELIIRTH before you pay

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. When the code you were given does not match MELIIRTH or MELIIRTHXXX, do not guess.

A wrong SWIFT code may lead to delays, a returned payment or extra fees for investigation. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there is more difficult to undo than a wrong code.

An automatic check in your banking app merely confirms that the code exists, not that it is the right account. Where available, a payee name check before sending adds an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, many people send a small amount first before sending the rest.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on publicly available sources. Institutions merge, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. The figures we show reflect what is in our directory and not on information from Bank Melli Iran itself.

Treat our directory here as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or Bank Melli Iran have the final say. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Bank Melli Iran. Found outdated information? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

What the XXX in MELIIRTHXXX means

A BIC is made up of a few fixed parts: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two give the country and the two after that indicate the location. Combined, these eight characters make up MELIIRTH, the code most people search for.

Many banks and apps accept both lengths. If a form asks for eleven characters, use MELIIRTHXXX, otherwise MELIIRTH is fine.

Do not add spaces, dots when you type MELIIRTH or MELIIRTHXXX. A wrong character can send a payment to another bank, so check it twice.